Daniella stared at him, clearly wishing he would give her something more comforting, but Santiago had never been a man who made promises simply because someone needed to hear them. Instead, he continued in the same measured tone, "Until then, you will not punish yourself for something you couldn't control. You didn't fire the weapon, you didn't choose where Camilla stood, and you didn't cause the attack. You survived it, and you did everything you could to keep her alive until help arrived."
Daniella lowered her eyes, allowing his words to settle over her. The guilt was still there, buried beneath the surface and refusing to disappear completely, but for the first time since the shooting, it no longer felt as though it was crushing her chest.
