The crowd screamed in horror.
"HERO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
"DON'T! STOP! PLEASE!"
"THAT'S LUNA! SHE'S ONE OF US!"
"YOU CAN'T DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT!"
Villagers screamed. Children cried. Several elves rushed forward, but Luca held up his free hand, and they froze.
"Luca! What—what are you doing?!" Leona's face went white. "Please let her go!"
But Luca just shook his head, his expression cold.
"I'm sorry, Leona. I really didn't want to do this. But you forced my hand."
He pressed the knife a fraction closer to Luna's throat. A tiny bead of blood welled up.
"Now here's the deal..."
He looked at Leona with a heavy gaze.
"You tell everyone the truth about everything. About the spirit, about what Julius did to you, about how you've been forced to live a lie. And I let Luna go."
His eyes hardened.
"Or you keep silent...and I slash her throat right here."
Gasps. Shrieks. Someone fainted.
"Of course, after Luna, I'll go to Lulu..."
He pointed the dagger at Lulu.
"Then Nyx."
