The treasure, the mission—all of it faded in that moment. The weight of his own failure consumed him more than any test could.
"I see her every time I close my eyes," he continued, voice shaking. "Every single night. Her face, her scream... the way the fire lit up the hallway behind her. I left her. I lived, and she didn't. And I can't—I can't forgive myself for that."
Silence followed. The only sound was his breathing—deep, broken, ragged.
And then, unexpectedly, the queen whispered, "You didn't leave her, Liam."
He didn't lift his head.
"You were a child," she said. "A child in a nightmare. You tried. You fought to save her. But fate is cruel. And sometimes… the fire takes what we can't protect."
He didn't respond.
But the sobs began to slow.
"You carry her still," she said softly. "In your strength. In your choices. Maybe even in why you're here now. Maybe… she's the reason you keep trying."
Liam finally looked up. Eyes red. Face wet. Lost.
