The elder studied Dax for a long moment, his expression heavy with weary resignation. Finally, he let out a slow, helpless sigh.
"You should have thought of that before," he said quietly, disappointment woven into every measured word.
Dax didn't bother answering.
No shit, he thought bitterly.
If he had known things would spiral into this mess, he never would have acted the way he did. But hindsight was cruel and useless. Regret couldn't rewind time or mend what had already been broken. He had dug his own pit with open eyes, and now there was no one left to blame but himself.
All he could do was endure the consequences.
…
