He can't look at her. He can't even bring himself to move apart from the gradual lowering of his eyes. It had never felt so final before. So heavy. So defined. It was as though saying this, now, to Amelia, he had carved it in stone and declared it loudly to the multiverse: I renounce romance. I renounce love. I renounce happiness for the bloodline.

The powers that be should be content with this, he thinks to himself. These words put a cut across two hearts. An excessive tribute.

Amelia's words sink in eventually and he closes his mouth, swallows, and nods. He doesn't want to speak anymore. He doesn't want to bear the weight of her disappointment anymore. Between what he knows he will see in her face and the despair tearing at him from inside, he's sure he'll simply be obliterated if he has to weather this much longer.