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The captain shakes his head. "None. We arrived too late. The orcs had already vanished back into the woods, leaving only death behind them."
Jasmine emits a low, wounded cry, hiding her face in my shoulder. My heart aches for her.
“The clan, we don’t even know their names, but an ancient order, more vicious and vile?—“
I hold up a hand to stop the captain from elaborating further on the orcs' atrocities. "That's enough. Please, she cannot bear any more."
But it's too late. Everything hits her at once; she lets out a faint cry and goes limp in my arms. I scoop her up before she hits the stone floor. The captain leads us to an empty room where Jasmine can recover from her fainting spell. I delicately move her hair away from her pale face.
A healer arrives shortly after to examine her. Following a thorough examination, the healer confirms that Jasmine merely fainted as a result of the tremendous shock and grief from the devastating loss of her entire family and hometown.
"Her spirit is deeply wounded," the healer says with a tone of sorrow. "Such trauma would devastate anyone."
I nod, gazing down at Jasmine's fragile form. Why must she suffer so? She looks impossibly small and delicate lying there. I despise feeling this helpless - I wish I could shield her from this agony.
The healer excuses himself, recommending rest and care. I pull a chair to her bedside, keeping vigil as she sleeps. Occasionally, a whimper or tear escapes her unconscious state.
My heart aches to see her in such distress. But I shall remain steadfast by her side until she wakes. When she finally stirs sometime later, I take her hand gently in mine.
"Jasmine? Can you hear me?" I ask softly.
Her eyes blink open, still clouded with pain. "Karul?" she croaks. "Is it...is it really all gone?"
I nod sadly, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. "I'm afraid so, my dear."
Overwhelmed with emotion, a fresh sob breaks free from her throat. I smooth her hair back from her tear-stained face.
"Everyone is gone..." she whispers hoarsely. "My family, my friends... I'm all alone now."
I feel her small body tremble with renewed grief. Without conscious thought, I embrace her more tightly, as if I can hold her fragile pieces together.
"I know," I murmur, my voice thick with emotion. "Hope is the cruelest thing sometimes."
18
JASMINE
“I’m so sorry, precious one.”
Karul's arms wrap tightly around my body, holding me to him as if he intends to squeeze the grief from my bones. I bury my face in his chest, inhaling his scent, masculine and clean. Being here against him sends waves of desire rippling down my body.
A chill follows, and he responds by crawling into bed with me and pulling me tighter against him. His strong palms rub down my arms, the friction creating a warmth that builds with every pass of his hands against my skin.
I need to feel warmth, the kind that I know Karul can give me. It’s truthfully the only way I know how to get it.
I turn my face up toward his. The anguish in his eyes is not unlike my own. I get the sense that I am not the only one who will benefit from the comfort of another's arms.
"Jasmine," he whispers, taking me in with a hesitancy that stiffens his body.
I take the initiative and press my lips to his, giving a kiss as much as I am taking it. With a groan, he gives in to it, rolling on top of me, framing my face with his hands, and taking control. My lips part as a hungry gasp escapes me. His tongue meets mine, desperate and seeking, exploring every crevice of my mouth as his hands run through my hair.
As my hips lift, pressing against his body, the heat that radiates from him seeps into my core, making me shiver, and I melt further into him. The mattress sinks under our weight as we struggle to get closer together. My fingers dig into his skin, marking his shoulders as he groans into the kiss, lost in the moment with me.
His lips travel down my jawline to nip at my earlobe. His breath is warm on my skin. I can feel his heart beating wildly against my chest as he starts to nibble and suckle on that sensitive spot behind my ear.
He whispers broken words against my skin, "I need this... I need you." And then, without warning, he pulls away from the kiss to look at me once again - eyes filled with longing and sadness but also lustful desire. It's an intense mix that makes me crave more of him.
His erection presses against my stomach, hard and hot through our clothes. Our breathing is ragged now as we stare into each other's eyes for what feels like an eternity before he finally lets out a shaky breath, and I cup his face in my hand.
