Alaric

The silence shatters with a single, shuddering gasp – Skyler's chest heaves, drawing in the breath of life. My heart leaps, and a wave of relief crashes over me so fiercely that my knees nearly buckle beneath its weight. I cradle her gently, as if she's the most precious thing in this chaotic world. And to me, she is.

"Sky," I murmur, my voice a mix of awe and gratitude. She's alive; she's breathing. Her eyelids flutter, a sign of the fierce spirit within fighting its ...