643 Mean What You Say

RETH

Reth couldn't watch them cut his beautiful mate, couldn't stand to see her blood spilled, to imagine the pain, or the possible consequence of his demands.

So instead, he closed his eyes and focused on Elia's hand—the skin on her palm, which was harder now than it had been when she'd first arrived in Anima. And he tuned his ears to her heartbeat. Did he imagine that it was stronger than it had been a moment ago?

There was little sound in the room for several seconds, until Aymora hissed a curse. Reth closed his fingers tighter on Elia's and prayed. Prayed as he had never prayed before.

Soon, he could feel warmth creeping into Elia's palm and his heart beat faster—bringing Elia's with it, that delicate thrub, thrub, thrub coming quicker.