Chapter 18 “I Need To Live…”

The room was dim, lit only by the gentle glow of an oil lamp set near the bedside. The faint crackle of firewood could be heard from the hearth nearby. Ember lay still on a low bed, her skin pale against the dark blanket wrapped around her. Beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, and her breathing was shallow. Gavin stood to the side, arms crossed, his sharp gaze fixed on her unmoving form. The physician, an older man with graying hair and steady hands, gently examined her wrist for a pulse.