“Is he alright?” Nor sobbed, reaching for Zahn as the soldiers laid him on the ground next to her. Then she saw Valen, standing just beside Darai, his face pale and his lips parted as he stared, unmoving, at Zahn. Nor felt as if the world were moving in slow motion as her gaze fell to her hands, drawn to the bright red blood upon her skin.

Zahn’s blood.

Nor felt numb as she drew herself up beside him on hands and knees. The city faded away, and the smoke, though heavy in her lungs, was nothing compared to the coldness she felt now as Zahn looked up at her, his eyes glazed with pain.

His whole body was shaking.

Nor removed her cloak, pressing it against the bullet wound in his chest with trembling hands. Blood immediately seeped through the fabric—too much blood.

She couldn’t stop the bleeding, no matter how hard she tried.

“Medical droids!” Darai was shouting. “Where the hell are they?”

Hands found Nor’s shoulders then, holding her tight. “I’m sorry,” Valen said from behind her. Nor remembered seeing him, for just a moment, his face blurring in the crowd before the gunshot had gone off. “I’m so sorry, Nor. I tried to stop him. I tried...”

His words fell away.

Nor couldn’t pull her gaze from Zahn’s face as he lay on the ruined street beneath her, blood trailing from his body in a steady stream.

“You’re fine,” she found herself saying through tears. She reached down and grabbed his hand, but his grip was weak in hers. “You’re going to be fine.”

“Nhatilya,” Zahn breathed out. “I...”

“Don’t,” she sobbed. Her tears fell upon his face, making tracks in the dirt and dust.

A trickle of blood slipped from his lips as he coughed, a wet rasp that rattled from his throat. “I love you,” Zahn whispered. She could see him trying to reach for her, but his arms lifted only a few inches before falling back to the ground. “My queen...”

So quiet now, his voice. His words were scarcely heard among the screaming crowd, the chaos welling up all around them.

“And you’re going to be my king,” Nor said, swallowing back her tears. “We’re getting you out of here.”

A soldier appeared, a black cross stitched across his chest and a med droid at his side. He looked down at Zahn, then over at Darai. He shook his head without a word.

Not real, Nor’s subconscious whispered.

“Hang on,” she said to Zahn. “Please, don’t leave me here without you.”

“I...love you,” he murmured again.

Zahn’s chest rattled as he gasped for air. Then his eyes went dim, and his hand went slack in hers. Someone screamed, a mournful wail that had all the soldiers around her pulling back. Nor realized the scream had ripped from her own throat.