[Honor]

William didn't flinch when she was suddenly standing before him. He didn't feel like he was in danger in her presence, though he knew the opposite to be true. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as she spoke. Her words felt like knives to him, stabbing into heart over and over again. She couldn't lie to him, and he stood here lying through his teeth to her.

"For the love of..." He trailed off, running a hand down his face and looking more tired than he ever had. The blood from his wound was on his hand now, but he paid it no attention. There were far more important things to think about at the moment.

"You should not care about me Artemis." He began, his voice filled with more venom than he had intended. It was hard to make himself believe he didn't care for her when she told him that she cared for him, and the anger in his voice was directed at himself more than her. "You should hate me and want me dead. Caring for me is-" His voice cracked there, much to his dismay. He needed to be strong. "It's wrong." He said finally, then his eyes glinted with a new fire. He raised his now bloodied hand for her to see. "This should be the only thing that matters to you." He said in a whisper.