Chapter 72. Made Whole Again

He stirred in response, a faint murmur drifting from his lips, but he remained in the thrall of sleep. Still, I could feel him reacting—another slight shift in his chest told me that our shared energy was knitting him back together.

I lifted my head, heart pounding, and stole a glance at the blinking monitor. The green line, once a jagged roller coaster of spikes and dips, now flowed in gentle, regular waves. His breathing had smoothed out, each inhale and exhale rising and falling in calm succession.

Relief washed over me, warm and overwhelming. The healing was working.

I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the top of his shoulder, the movement tender and reverent. Another tear escaped, this one burning with gratitude rather than fear. Outside, the night pressed in against the small windows of the cottage, silent and watchful. But in this cocoon of warmth and