Page 66 of Summertime Hexy
It hurts.
But it’s worth it.
Her eyes flutter open.
She blinks once.
Then sits bolt upright. “DEREK.”
“Hey,” I croak.
She stares at me.
Then smacks my arm. “Youjerk.You absolute stubborn, immortal DUMBASS. You nearly died! Youdid die, for like—like five seconds! Maybe longer! Time is a construct, and you werebleeding everywhere!”
“I’m fine.”
“You arenotfine.”
“I’m fine now.”
She glares.
Her lower lip trembles.
And then she collapses back into the chair and drops her head into her hands.
“Gods,” she mutters. “You scared the hell out of me.”
I shift, slowly, carefully, until I can sit up. My entire body protests.
I don’t care.
I reach for her hand again.
She lets me.
“You didn’t have to stay,” I say quietly.
She looks up, eyes wild.
“Ihadto.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”
I nod.
Because I do.
But I need to say it anyway.
For her.
For me.
“I’ve been walking through this world for a long damn time,” I begin, voice low, rough from disuse. “Seen kingdoms fall. Watched people burn. Buried everyone I ever loved.”
