Chapter 14: What Came Back With Me
Leon took a moment before replying.
The question lingered in the hazy atmosphere between him and Yundar, quiet and direct, the sort that didn't resonate—but still struck.
He slowly rubbed his thumb over his palm, smearing the dried blood of the demon to the side. The darkened mark created a path that wouldn't erase.
He looked up. "I don't know."
Yundar didn't flinch. Just kept watching.
Leon shifted. "The first time I died, I wasn't ready. I wasn't armed. I wasn't anyone. I just ran into a street, put a blade to a noble's throat, and got cut down like a stray dog."
Yundar said nothing.
"I remember the look on the guards' faces. Like they expected me to fail. Like they weren't even afraid I'd get close."
Leon's voice didn't shake. Not now.
"I remember the way I hit the ground. The way the sky looked when I took my last breath. I remember saying, 'If I had one more chance.'"
He paused.