The words blinked softly against the screen, steady in their heartbreak. 'They left me to die. Then I awoke, and all I could think about was how desperate I was when I realized I didn't deserve to die yet.'
Trevor exhaled, slow and ragged. The kind of breath that didn't bring relief only made space for more fury to settle. His fingers flexed once on the edge of the tablet, the weight of it nothing compared to the guilt pressing against his spine.
Lucas didn't beg. He didn't curse. He hadn't even written in anger. Just quiet, terrible desperation that no one had witnessed.
Or, worse, that some had seen but turned away anyway.
Trevor reached for Lucas without thinking, gently brushing through the pale strands of hair at the crown of his head, taking care not to wake him. Lucas stirred faintly but did not awaken; he remained curled close, trusting him enough to sleep fearlessly.
And that trust…
That trust made Trevor want to burn down kingdoms.
He looked back at the screen.
