Arthur's cold voice rang out.
"He has less than an hour before he croaks," Arthur said.
Athena's fingers were still wrapped around his throat, but his tone was flat, almost bored, as if he were delivering a simple report instead of a death sentence.
"Make your choice carefully."
It was a bluff.
Damian could survive far longer than that if left alone.
But Athena had no way of knowing.
For a heartbeat, the crimson warning lights flashed across her face, highlighting the tension around her eyes. Then her grip loosened ever so slightly as she calculated, her mind racing.
'Damian is far too important right now to lose over one Imperius girl,' Athena thought. 'If his System breaks completely...'
Behind her, Damian's screams grew hoarser.
"AAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO—AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE, MAKE IT STOOOOPPPP!!!"
