#Chapter 76: A Miracle

Ava I managed to get up on shaky legs, blinking hard to try and clear the dizzying swirl of stars clouding my vision. My entire body throbbed, and I could feel the sticky warmth of blood matting my hair to the side of my face. But none of that mattered. All I could focus on was the crumpled form lying at the center of the clearing. “Chris!” I croaked out, stumbling toward him. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I made my way over to him and fell to my knees. “Chris… Oh, Goddess…” Up close, the damage looked even worse. Angry welts and deep gashes covered his chest and abdomen, one eye already swollen shut while his other was barely even managing to stay open. But worst of all was the knife sticking out of his abdomen, all the way to the handle. Despite it all, though, his eyes fluttered open at the sound of my voice, fixing me with a bleary, unfocused stare as I tenderly cradled his head in my hands. “Ava…” he rasped out, a trickle of blood escap