Her eyes met his, stubborn defiance burning within them. She strained against his grasp, gasping for breath. Her fingers clawed at his icy grip, struggling to free herself. Yet she managed to croak out a reply, her voice hoarse and strained.
"I... I needed to know... if you were... anything more than a... dummy leader," Luna's voice wavered, her words coming out in staggered gasps. "I wanted to... see if you... were hiding... behind Lily and Lyla... all this time."
Each word was a struggle, a fight against the steadily encroaching darkness at the edges of her vision. Tristan's grip tightened on her neck, constricting her airflow. Luna could feel herself growing weaker, the energy draining from her limbs. But she didn't falter. She held his gaze, her voice growing fainter.
"You... watched... as they died," Luna whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "You... did nothing... while Astra killed them... Mrs. Leighton... my friends..."
