The rush of emotion died in my mind. This was the end. The words he... I... were about to speak were true, but the truth was not the truth she saw. There were no lies, only cold calculations. Of course he wanted you to come with him, Deionarra. I understood it clearly, too clearly: He had invested too much in the poor girl to let her go.

Echo: "Of course, Deionarra. I would not have asked you to come with me if I did not want your company. You know how I feel about you..."

There was a cold silence in his mind, then a hissing of a thought, a response sharp and deadly, like a dagger blade. The lie came swiftly, unburdened by emotion.

Echo: "I love you, Deionarra."

And I wanted to SCREAM as I felt the lie wash over her like a RADIANCE, but it was a SHADOW of TRUTH, A SERPENT'S KISS, AND HE MEANT ME HARM AND SHE COULDN'T SEE I WANTED TO CALL OUT BUT SHE WAS CRYING WITH JOY EVEN AS - EVEN AS -

I cried with joy... with frustration... with joy... with despair...

The emotion washed over me, like I was drowning, DROWNING, and I needed to speak, I LONGED to speak, but I could not...and...

I screamed, screamed as I tore my hands from the stone, bloody tears rushing from my eyes, running in streams down my arms, my hands, to coat the stone. Blood! Her blood! And... I couldn't WARN her... and I couldn't stop CRYING......

And suddenly, Fall-From-Grace was there, and her touch was gentle like silk, and she brushed the tears from my eyes, even as I felt the screams welling up within me. She shhhhhhed me, cradling my face through my bloody tears.

"I... I... can't.... bear it... I... couldn't STOP her, I WANTED to, but I couldn't do anything...!"

Fall-From-Grace looked into my eyes, and she nodded sadly, in understanding. "And that is the nature of longing. The desire for that which you cannot change or possess." She studied me, withdrawing her hand, now soaked in my blood.

Это вам не нудное описание каждой речки-говнотечки на десять абзацев в столбах, и не твоеж высочество в усах, это искусство нахуй мальцы