Page 50 of Sacrificed to the Mountain Demon

"You can't die," I whisper fiercely. "You hear me? You're not allowed to die. Because... because I love you."

Those words hang in the air, an undeniable truth. I love him. This creature who should terrify me, who's so different from me in every way. I love him with every fiber of my being.

"I love you," I repeat, louder this time. "So you have to wake up. You have to fight. Because I'm not letting you go."

As I sit by his side, my mind races. There has to be something more I can do. Suddenly, a memory flashes through my mind -an old healing technique I'd seen the village elders use. It was meant for humans, but maybe...

"Worth a shot," I mutter, fumbling through my stolen supplies.

I take a bit of herbs I don't quite recognize and mix them in a cup of water. I bring the cup over to the fire and brew the mixture much like tea. The scent is pungent, earthy.

"Okay," I say, my voice shaking. "Let's see if this works."

I gently bring the cup to his lips and trickle the liquid very slowly into his mouth. Most of the liquid seeps out the sides of his lips, but I'm hoping enough makes it down his throat to help him.

"Come on," I whisper, willing the ancient magic to work. "Please."

The cave air feels thick and heavy with anticipation. I sit back, my hands trembling. Now comes the hard part - waiting.

Soon, exhaustion hits me like a physical blow. My muscles ache, my eyes burn. But I can't sleep. Not yet. Not until I know he's okay.

I grab his hand again. His skin is cool to the touch, a stark contrast to the earlier fever. Is that good or bad? I have no idea.

"Stay with me," I whisper. "I need you."

The cave falls silent save for the sound of his labored breathing. Each inhale feels like a victory, each exhale a relief. I focus on that rhythm, willing it to continue.

My mind wanders, replaying moments from our time together. The way his eyes crinkle when he laughs. The gentle touch of his tentacles when he's being careful with me. The fierce protectiveness in his gaze.

"Remember when you taught me to hunt?" I say, filling the silence. "I was terrible. Kept scaring away all the prey. But you were so patient with me."

I squeeze his hand tighter, fighting back tears. "You have to wake up so we can do that again. So I can show you how much I've improved."

The minutes drag by, each one feeling like an eternity. My eyelids grow heavy, but I force them open. I can't fall asleep. What if he needs me?

"I love you," I whisper, pressing my forehead to his again. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

I repeat it like a mantra, willing him to hear me. To come back to me.

Just as I'm about to lose my battle with exhaustion, I feel it. A twitch. So small I almost miss it.

My eyes snap to his face, searching for any sign of consciousness. And there - a flicker of movement behind his eyelids.

"Jytos?" I breathe, hardly daring to hope.

His eyes flutter open for the briefest moment, those deep green irises focusing on me before sliding shut again.

A sob of relief escapes me as I collapse against his chest, careful to avoid his wounds. He’s pulling through. He's going to be okay.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily," I murmur, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing beneath me.

As the adrenaline fades, exhaustion claims me. I curl up next to him, my hand still clasped in his, and let sleep take me.

25

JYTOS

Idrift in and out of consciousness as my body burns with fever. The pain from my wounds comes and goes, replaced by vivid memories that assault my senses.

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