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Teo’s hand slipped against the sacrificial dagger, and he trembled, raising it above his head. Auristela’s eyes were shut tightly, tears already running down her face. Her mouth shook as she pursed her lips in a grim expression, muffling any sound that was sure to escape her lips once Teo-once Teo-once-
Teo bit his lip to keep a sob from escaping.
How could he do it? How could he end Auristela’s life?
The other competitors looked away, heads bowed or buried in others' clothes.
All of them except Aurelio.
He stood straight, trembling but resigned. Waiting for Teo to bring the dagger down and let him grieve.
Their conversation from earlier flashed through Teo’s mind.
“If being sacrificed is such an honour, why isn’t it the winner who gets killed?”
Teo had spat that idea out in the heat of the moment, in anger, but his words held some truth.
Why wasn’t the winner killed if the highest honour was to be the sacrifice in the name of Sol?
That was what Teo had done in the last trial. Sacrificed himself for his friends.
Could he do that, willingly, so that Reino del Sol could be safe?
Teo took a deep breath and stabbed the dagger downwards. Auristela gripped the table, knuckles turning white as she waited for death.
Teo impaled the dagger through his chest.
He missed his heart, and he felt the sharp stab in his sternum, knocking the wind out of him. He slumped forward onto the sacrificial table, Auristela's eyes snapping open in horror.
Teo heard the crowd erupt, the sounds of their panicked shouts muffled in his ears like they were full of water. He wondered briefly if this was Marino’s doing.
There was an anguished cry, like the call of a dying bird.
“Teo? Teo!” He felt Auristela grabbing his shoulder dimly in the haze of pain that surrounded him. Other hands- pulling at him, wrenching Auristela away from the table. Blood, warm and sticky, rolled down his stomach, dripping slowly onto the rock.
“TEO!” Niya burst through the crowd, Aurelio on her heels. “Teo you idiot- where is Diosa Medica, I know she can fix this- AURELIO! He’s bleeding out!”
Warmth surrounded Teo. Gold. That was all he could see through his blurry vision, tears spilling down his cheeks.
“Relio.” Teo let the word escape from his lips, barely a breath over the raucous crowd.
“Teo.” He felt soft fingers graze his cheek, twining around a lock of Teo’s hair. “You’re such an-a…” He laughed softly. “You’re such an asshole, Teo.”
Teo exhaled a small laugh. “I know.” Teo thought he heard Aurelio choke back a sob.
“We should have had more time.” Teo lifted a shaking hand to Aurelio’s, intertwining their fingers. “I’m sorry, Relio.”
"No, Teo, I'm sorry." Aurelio's hand was warm in his, the only thing keeping him anchored in this world. "I-" Teo squeezed his hand gently as Aurelio sucked in another breath.
“We had enough.” Teo pressed a shaking kiss to the back of Aurelio's hand. Niya grabbed his other hand. “We had each other.”
The last thing Teo saw was the sky, then gold, then nothing.
Light flooded his vision, and he was gone.