“Nick, stay with me,” I plead. “Don’t go. I can’t go on without you.”

He reaches out with his paw, which he rests against my leg.

I sob over Nick as I try to stabilize his wound. The same wound, which, if my bond is anything to go by, is filling his lungs with blood right now.

Crowin’s voice echoes around me. “Well, would you look at that? Someone has been injured.”

“Shut up!” I shout. It’s childish. I shouldn’t ...