The dagger felt heavy, a leaden weight pressing into my palm. Its coldness seeped into my skin, mirroring the icy dread that had taken root in my heart. "No... no... no..." I whispered, the words a desperate plea against the tide of horror rising within me.
How could he ask this of me? How could he expect me to raise my hand against Killian, the man who had woven sunshine and laughter into my life? How could I kill the man I loved?
The mere thought of hurting him or taking his life was heart-wrenching to me. To betray him with this cold steel was an impossibility. I wouldn't do it. I couldn't do it.
I didn't know where I found the strength, but I looked at him with an intensity that surprised even me. It must have been some primal instinct, a desperate fight for the last shred of my sanity. "No," I shouted, my voice raw with defiance. "I am not going to do it. I will not kill Killian!"
