Page 89 of My Fated Mate

Out of the stillness, a harsh roar erupts from across the clearing.

My head snaps up, eyes darting towards the source. Kain and Varis are still locked in combat, but something has shifted.

Once radiating with dark power, Varis now seems weakened, his movements sluggish.

The green glow surrounding him before is flickering erratically, losing intensity.

When his eyes met mine, they flashed a glimpse of fear – the first sign of vulnerability I'd seen from him all night.

Suddenly, a strange sensation washes over me. Amidst the crushing weight of grief, a faint warmth sparks within me. It's subtle at first, barely a whisper, but it's there.

And then I see it.

A faint silvery glow spreads across the clearing, pushing back the oppressive green hue. The faintest sliver of moonlight peeks through the dense canopy, a tiny beacon of light.

The darkness is receding.

Slowly, painfully, but unmistakably, the moon is returning.

A strangled gasp escapes my lips.

Hope surges through me. The moon… my power. I can save him. I can save Thorne.

With a strength born of desperation, I pull myself away from his unmoving form and scramble to my feet.

The moonlight spreads across the clearing, bathing me in its silvery light.

The strength I thought lost courses through my veins, a powerful current.

Ignoring the tremors shaking my body and the tears streaming down my face, I focus. I focus on the raw energy surging through me and the connection between myself and the moon.

I focus on Thorne. I focus on life.

With a whispered word, I channel the moon's energy into a healing pulse.

A warm light emanates from my fingertips as I reach down, placing them on his chest.

The energy flows from me into him, a desperate attempt to mend the damage, to coax him back from the brink.

A tremor runs through Thorne's body, a glimmer of life returning to his eyes. They flutter open, a hazy blue staring up at me. Relief floods my veins, so powerful it almost knocks me off my feet.

"Elowen?" he rasps, his voice weak.

"Thorne," I choke out, tears streaming down my face. "You're alright. You're awake."

He tries to push himself up, but he groans in pain. His golden fur is matted with blood, and a nasty gash runs along his side. But he's alive. He's breathing.

"Don't waste your energy," I plead, gently pushing him back down. "I need to heal you."

"No," he gasps. "The others… the battle… you need to use your power on them."

A wave of guilt washes over me. The clearing, once chaotic, is now eerily quiet.

The battle seems to have ended, with our allies emerging victorious. But the cost must have been high. Thorne's right. There are others who need my help.

But I can't… I can't let him go. Not now.

Tears blur my vision as I look down at him, his face pale and drawn. "I can't... I can't lose you, too," I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.

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