Leona looked back at Luca once more, her eyes pleading.
Had she said enough? Could she finally stop?
But Luca just raised the dagger again toward his neck.
Just a little. Just a teasing gesture.
But it was enough to make Leona jump in fright, her heart lurching into her throat.
She whipped back toward the crowd, her voice rushed and desperate.
"After that, Julius's presence in the village only became worse and worse."
The villagers, who had been wiping their eyes and composing themselves, snapped to attention.
The story wasn't over. They leaned in, their grief momentarily forgotten.
"Whenever I wanted to help the villagers—whenever I tried to create new rules, build new structures, do anything that might ease anyone's suffering—Julius would go against it."
Leona's voice grew hard. "Especially if it involved helping the females. He would shut it down immediately."
"And...I had no choice but to agree." She said in self reproach.
