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She shrugs. “Protect you and everyone in that hospital.”
“What did you give him?” A weight settles in my gut. I’m not sure I want to know and honestly, I’m grateful she’s still here. I know he wants to claim her, to take her away from me. Take her away from everyone.
She lifts up the pendant. “Gift from your dad.”
I touch the pendant and I can feel the magic coursing through it. My brow furrows. It doesn’t feel dark or bad. It actually radiates healing energy. It hums with life.
“What is it?” I can’t figure out why he’d give her something that feels an awful lot like a protection charm.
“He says I can’t summon monsters to fight anymore,” she says.
My heart sinks. Itisa protection charm. Leave it to my father to figure out a way to make such a beautiful gift into a curse.
“We’ll figure something else out,” I say.
She nods and forces a smile. “Sure we will.”
Her quick agreement is unsettling. I’m so used to fighting with her. She sounds defeated.
“Harper, we are going to figure this out.”
“Okay,” she says. “But not right now. You’ve been through a lot. How are you?”
“I’m good,” I lie. Iwillbe good. But I’m not in any shape to fight yet.
She reaches for me and I step away.
“Let me see,” she says.
I hold my breath and make myself stay still while she reaches for the edge of my tee shirt. She lifts it up and I catch her lower lip tremble for a second before she clenches her teeth.
Claw marks span from the right side of my chest down to my left hip. Stitches hold the cuts together. They’re still red and angry, but much better than they were.
Harper looks up at me and the concern in her eyes makes me fall in love with her all over again. I don’t think anyone has ever looked at me like this before. There’s genuine concern and care in her gaze. It makes my throat tighten.
“Why isn’t it healing faster?” she asks.
“The toxin in the claws,” I say. “But it will heal. They took good care of me.”
She gently lowers my shirt. “Liam, this shouldn’t have happened. I shouldn’t have asked you to help me with this.”
I reach for her and pull her in to me. She’s hesitant at first, as if she’s afraid to get close to me.
“You’re not going to hurt me,” I say, squeezing her tighter.
She relaxes a little and snuggles closer to me. I feel tension fade just from holding her.
“We’re going to figure this out, Harper,” I say. “I promise.”
