Liam’s POV
“Ava?” my dad rasped, his words ragged and fractured as a harsh cough wracked his fragile frame.
The healer shook her head slowly, her expression grave. “It’s worsening, I’m sorry to say.”
Ava shifted her gaze to him, her features easing as she absorbed his diminished condition. He extended his arm, his shaky fingers reaching out toward her, pleading for her nearness.
She approached with caution, her steps deliberate, and enveloped his hands in hers. Her grasp appeared soft, nearly affectionate, as though she worried he might shatter.
“You’ll pull through this shortly,” she murmured, holding his stare, her tone unwavering.
I wasn’t caught off guard by their bond. Half a decade back, when I’d turned her away, my dad had battled me fiercely over it. He’d supplied her with al
