I felt the warmth of Marcus's touch as he carried me, I was still feeling so weak, the world was a blur of movement and muffled sound.
But his voice, his voice full of anger cut through everything.
"No one lays a hand on him. He dies by mine."
King Marcus...
I stirred in his arms, barely able to lift my head, but I heard every word. His fury wasn't just anger, it was a promise.
His presence was wildfire.
Earthquake.
A force of nature that would not be denied.
And it was all for me.
Why?
I didn't know how, but the moment he touched me… I felt a flicker of strength deep in my chest. As if each breath I took beside him pulled threads of energy back into my body. As if he was the anchor keeping my soul from drifting into the abyss.
His scent, earth and storm and something wild, wrapped around me like a shield.
I exhaled sharply, feeling his warmth sank into my bones.
Safe. Familiar. Right.
Miya's words echoed in my mind...
