Page 133 of The Wishing Game

"What color?" he demands.

"Purple."

He frowns.

"My eyes? You are sure?" he adds, confused.

"Yes. They'reverypurple, Ze. Has this never happened before?"

"Never," he rasps. His brows crease in confusion, and for a moment, he looks so lost, I get an overwhelming urge to give him a hug and tell him we'll work it out—that regardless of what's happening to him, it's all going to be all right.

"Do your eyes hurt? Can you see fine?" NowIam getting worried. If it's never happened before... Oh my God! What if he got hit and this is a side effect? What if...

Before I know what I'm doing, I'm circling around him, my hands on his back and chest as I look for an entry point from the arrow. Panic bubbles in my chest. What if he's dying? What if he got hit by the venom and he's going to die?

Tears prick at my eyes, and oddly enough, my first thought is about him, not about the competition or my chances of getting Nikki back. I just...don't want him to die.

"Human, cease!" His voice echoes.

I'm a sniffling mess as he grabs my hands, stopping me.

"Why are you crying? Answer me!" he demands in a strict voice.

"You..." Tears roll down my face in rivulets. "You're dying," I sob aloud.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" He frowns.

"You got hit," I sniffle, using the back of my hand to wipe the moisture from my cheeks. "That's why your eyes are purple. You got hit and...now you're dying. I don't want you to die!" My throat closes up as fear engulfs me.

He simply stares at me. He removes my hands from my face, placing them by my side. Without a word, he uses his own sleeve to dab at my face. His touch is much gentler than I would have expected as he brushes my tears away.

"I am not dying, human," he finally says with a sigh. "I do not know why my eyes have changed color, but it might be a side effect of this realm."

"Oh," I whisper, feeling extremely silly for my outburst. "Sorry," I murmur.

"Were you worried about me?" He clears his throat, pushing his chin up.

I nod as I swallow painfully.

He gazes down at me, pensive.

"No one has worried about me before," he muses quietly.

"No one?" I ask in a low, wobbly voice.

"You are the first." He nods, his lips twitching.

I mirror his smile, and we're gazing at each other like two fools.

My runny nose, however, breaks the spell.

"Do you mind if I use that..." I tug at his already wet sleeve.

He takes one look at my runny nose, then another at his sleeve before he pulls his hand from my grasp, wrinkling his nose.

"Do not push your luck, human," he mutters under his breath.

THIRTY-ONE

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