“Wren agreed to let Corson try changing her. As his Chosen, this is the path she was meant to walk,” Caim continued, “whether she livesornot.”
“Yes.” Unfolding his legs, Hawk rose and walked over to pull aside the curtain and peer out thewindow.
“How many were lost in the fight Greed created?” I asked Shax when he returned totheroom.
“One human and one demon,” Shaxreplied.
“Has it made them hostile toward eachother?”
“No, I think it’s brought them closer,” he said. “Greed used and manipulated us all, and it’s pissedthemoff.”
“Good,” I said and focused on Wrenagain.
I ran my finger over her pale cheek before tracing her full lips. Her color was returning, her breathing becoming steadier, as her heart thumped solidly in her chest. However, she could live another two weeks and still not survive the numerous differences my blood would create withinherbody.
At least give me those two weeks.I knew I would only crave more time with her when they were over, but I would give anything for those dayswithher.
I pulled back the tattered, bloody shreds of her shirt. The skin beneath was still red and swollen, but the bleeding had stopped, and I couldn’t see her breastbone anymore. Releasing her shirt, I tenderly pressed my hands against her chest. The bones beneath my palm grated. She stirred, and her eyes moved behind her closed lids. Her bones were still broken, but they were repairingthemselves.
Already healing faster than a mortal and making that change toward demon.Would she recognize me as her Chosen when she woke? Two demons always knew when they found their Chosen, but this was different. Even if she didn’t accept me as her Chosen, it wouldn’t matter as long as shelived.
I held her close as the night crept onward. The faintest rays of the sun were creeping around the edges of the heavy curtains when Wren’s eyelids fluttered open. She winced and closed them again. Her head turned into my chest, and her fingers gripped myshirt.
The others all held their breaths as they took a step closertous.
“Wren,” Iwhispered.
“Hmm,” shemurmured.
“Wren, lookatme.”
Her eyes opened, they briefly focused on me, and a small smile curved her mouth. “Hello,demon.”
The strength of the relief filling me almost caused me to crush her against me, but she was far from healed and I would only hurt her if I did so. I knew this didn’t mean she would live, but I hadn’t believed I’d ever hear her voice again. My head dropped to hers, and I kissedherear.
“Hi,” I said as floorboards creaked beneath the steps of the others leaving the room. Lifting my head, I gazed down at her. “Do you remember whathappened?”
I smoothed my finger over the lines in her forehead when she frowned. “There was a fight…” Her voice trailed off. “And ahorse?”
“Yes.”
Her hand went to her chest, and her face scrunched up before horror parted her mouth. “Idied.”
“You came about as close to it asonegets.”
“It felt likeIdied.”
“Wren—”
“And then you sliced your arm open and poured your bloodintome.”
“Yes.”
“Am I a demon now? Is that enough to start the changeinme?”
“Your almost dying and my blood is enough to start the change, but there is a chance you still might not survive,” Ireplied.
“So I could be like a ticking time bomb, any second,death?”
