[A/N: Friendly warning: some dark stuff in the latter half of this chapter…]
But first, Erik turned to Astrid. He'd made a mistake, and he refused to let it fester a moment longer.
Astrid was looking at him with some sorrow and anxiety. It felt strange to him, seeing those emotions on the usually so self-assured, strawberry-blond vampire, and even feeling them through their bond.
Obviously, she'd drawn the same conclusions as he and Elora had, and when Erik said he should have come sooner, she drew her conclusions.
Erik's brows furrowed slightly as a little more guilt filled him and his heart broke a little, but he didn't let that stop him now. He quickly stepped closer to her, "Astrid, I—"
"No!" Astrid quickly interrupted him while pressing her fist against his chest, as if punching him without actually doing so. "I— I understand… I would never ask you to save my mother over your own! I ju—"
