Book 2: Chapter 87

Esmeralda stood by Ares's side, her heart aching as she looked at her brother. The tears that had been welling up in her eyes finally spilled over, silently tracing down her cheeks. She couldn’t reconcile the sight of him lying there, so still and vulnerable, with the strong, vibrant man she had known all her life. The feeling of helplessness was suffocating.

Her fingers lingered on his forehead for a moment, brushing back a lock of his hair, as if the small act could somehow reach him through the depths of his unconsciousness. She whispered, almost afraid of disturbing the silence, “Ares, you have to wake up. We need you. I need you.”

As she stood there, the sound of the machines beeping rhythmically in the background, she suddenly felt something, something slight. For a moment, she thought it was her imagination, but then she felt it again. A faint movement. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized it was coming from Ares’s hand.

She stared in disbelief as