“Yes, ma’am.”
Two nurses swarmed into the room, alerted by the increase in his heart rate. Everyone fell silent while they checked him over, giving his visitors less than friendly looks. Satisfied he wasn’t in danger, they left the room again, and if he was feeling stronger, he might’ve laughed at the sheepish expressions on nearly every face gathered around him. But his energy was dwindling; sluggishness trickled through him, leaving him ever weaker and making his limbs leaden.
He wanted to stay awake to soak up the love that filled the room because it was more powerful than the pain and exhaustion, and he knew if he could let it seep into him, he’d be healed in no time, but his body slackened with frightening speed, utterly spent.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. His eyelids, too heavy now t
