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Her eyes finally locked with his for a spell “Why are you doing this? He threatens your kingdo to save me”

“You dom does”

Her gaze slid away, her eyelids dipping “I’m so sorry I lost your necklace Please look for it By my house”

“Open your eyes,” he de atI want you to think about Keep healing”

Several tense minutes passed and then he felt the ends of her hair dry and thicken After wiping his hand on his leg to clean it, he tested the wound again, but it was gone So too was the blood at that particular spot

Relief washed over him “You did it”

But her breathing was still labored, and the very slow rise and fall of her chest told him her heart rate and pulse had dropped drastically Her lips had turned purple She was likely freezing in the snow, yet he couldn’twas done about her chest

He wanted to yank off his sweater and press the material to her in order to stop the flow of blood, but he’d wipe too ravate an already horrific-looking injury

Instead, he lifted her hand to his own chest, slipping it inside his shirt He flattened her cold palainst his skin, over his heart

“Feel the beats,” he said “They’re strong and steady Try to match them with your own heart”

She appeared exhausted and defeated As though she honestly didn’t want to continue on As if she’dthe head wound

“Jade,” he said in an insistent voice, his dread resonating strongly “I want you alive and safe I want you healthy Happy I’ll do whatever I must to make it happen, but you have to help me You have to repair your heart Please For me For you For both of us For…Michael and Lisette Everyone in the village Hell, even Sheena will stop speaking tohappens to you”

He heard the desperation and the agony in his tone Neither was ive in to his begging They were real, raw e him to his knees, were he not already on them

“Jade,” he whispered “I love you And I know I don’t deserve you, but…I don’t want to lose you”

Another short breath fell fro me you love me…”