Chapter 568: Blind Trust

The whole world stilled, the screams and rampaging mana falling into the background. Only Luke remained, his hand tilting my chin toward him, his eyes capturing me in their dark depths. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. All I could feel was the warmth of his hand on my cheek.

"Protect her?" Jessia's snort snapped me back to reality. "You won't get much chance to do that, Luke. That mage is probably angry enough to tear the scales off a dragon."

He winced, his gaze drawn to the chaos unfolding within the city walls. "I suppose that's true, but at least I know where you are." 

 As his hand slipped from my cheek, a wave of dizziness washed over me. I stumbled back a step, legs quivering, and gasped for breath. My hand rose to my chest, pressing against the rapid pulse of my heart. After a moment, it rose to my cheek, tracing the faint, tingling warmth his touch had left behind.

"Just... stay safe. Please," he whispered.