Chapter 39

Elara's POV

Everything burned. The sheets beneath me felt like sandpaper against my skin, and even the dim light filtering through the curtains made my head hurt. I tried to focus on Lucas, but my vision kept going in and out of focus. The room tilts and spins around me.

Lucas sat at my bedside, his hand brushing my damp hair away from my forehead. His touch was cool, soothing my fevered skin even though my body felt like it was on fire. His other hand gripped mine firmly, grounding me in the moment.

"Is this real?" I croaked, my voice barely audible. My throat was dry, and the words came out clumsy, hard to form. "Lucas, please... don't let go of my hand."

"I'm not going anywhere," he said, his voice steady as he squeezed my hand. "I won’t let go."