The Ungrateful Princess

Alaric found himself unable to continue as Raven's body grew increasingly limp, slipping further downward. Raven's consciousness was fading rapidly, and his breathing became more irregular. Alaric could feel Raven's heartbeat weakening under his fingers, a clear sign that Raven was on the verge of losing awareness entirely.

A surge of panic gripped Alaric as he noticed the weakening pulse. The playful smirk vanished from his face, replaced by a growing sense of fear. He gently lifted Raven's chin, desperately searching his face for any sign of consciousness. But Raven's eyes were barely open, unfocused, and his breathing was shallow and uneven.

"Raven?" Alaric whispered, giving him a light shake in an attempt to rouse him from the brink of unconsciousness. But there was no response, just a faint, barely perceptible breath escaping from Raven's lips.

"Damn it."