Everything happened in slow motion. Kade staggered backwards, stumbling over his steps. He clutched his chest in disbelief. He felt a small piece of him had gone missing. He touched the spot, expecting there to be a gaping hole. The rug was yanked from underneath his feet.
Suddenly, Kade began to remember their last encounters. No.
What did Kade say to the Eighth Princess? Why didn't he bid her goodbye? Why did he have to tell her to attend the lecture? Why couldn't he have held her for a final moment?
Disbelief coursed through Kade's system. He had witnessed many deaths, but none hit him as hard as this one. The only memory of this pain was his mother's death, many, many years ago. It was why he had taken up swordfighting. He had sworn to his mother he'd take care of himself.
"Kade…" Lina trailed off, her eyes wide with tears.
