“


    Yes. Because you don''t have to watch her neck being cut with an axe. You don''t have to hear her cries for help or her accusations. You won''t have to listen to her insulting or blaming you either.” Theodore stood up from his chair to walk over to the bed and sit down next to his brother. He continued with a small tremble in his voice. “Cedar, please believe me. Even if you deny it, a small part of you will always care for her. And watching her execution will hurt that part more than you can imagine now. Please stay home that day. You aren''t weak for avoiding what you know will crush you. You don''t have to hurt yourself anymore.”


    “I couldn''t care less about the damned capital.” The anger on Theodore''s face disappeared as quickly as his rage-filled tone. What was left behind was only sadness. “Cedar, stop treating yourself as if you don''t matter. Your health is much more important than what some people are saying about you.”


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    want to see it either. And yet, he needed to go. So, Cedar forced himself to speak, even as his voice didn''t work as it normally should. But no matter how certain he was about this, he was still reluctant. Even opening his mouth took way too much effort. By the gods. Had he built up the walls around him so high that he couldn''t even break them down himself?


    “