The oppressive pressure around her presence softened slightly, and when she spoke again, her tone was different no longer sharp or mocking. It sounded more like an elder giving advice to someone younger.
"It's okay to feel guilty," she said calmly. "In fact, you should."
Kelly remained silent, listening.
"But it is not entirely your fault."
She folded her arms lightly.
"You used magic without having the proper knowledge of it. That alone makes mistakes inevitable."
Her gaze steadied on him.
"So remember this, boy learn from it."
A brief pause followed before she finished.
"And the next time you form a bond… choose a partner properly."
Kelly kept his head lowered, staring at the ground. Inside him, a storm of emotions churned guilt, grief, anger, and exhaustion all tangled together until he could barely separate one from the other. For a long while, he said nothing. Then finally, in a quiet voice, he spoke.
"There won't be a next time."
