Chapter 69. Stop (1)

Valerie

The air was tense, tension so thick it could be sliced through. I wrung my hands tightly enough to hurt as I faced the spectacle that was unraveling in front of me.

My heart was racing, each pulse sending another wave of worry and alertness through me. Moments ago, I was still reeling from disbelief, and pure relief.

Tristan was back. He was alive.

After days of grieving, of resolution, it felt like the hollowness inside me was filled. I could finally breathe again.

And now…

My gaze shifted back to Tristan who was taking off his shirt for the sake of the Challenge. My heart sank at the sight of his battered body. The bruises and cuts seemed to scream at me, filling me with a sense of dread. The bandages on his hands, covering his wrists to fingers made my heart twist but the bandages covering his chest sent a pang through me.

His wounds weren't healing. If Alistair's words were true, he was being put in a seve