Chapter 99

Scarlett's POV I was awakened by the sound of ragged breathing. I immediately opened my eyes, alert—especially since we were alone in this forest and still didn't know where we were or if there were any dangerous individuals roaming around, like the rogues we had heard last night. I immediately looked up at Lucien, whose head was tilted back against the tree trunk, sweat dripping from his temple despite the cold night air. His shirt clung to his chest, damp with his blood. My heart trembled and I hurriedly checked his forehead, then compared it to mine. As expected, he was hotter. It wasn't just my imagination; it felt like something hot was hugging me. His jaw was locked tight, teeth gritted as if he wanted to hide the fact that he was in pain. "Lucien," I whispered, reaching out to him and gently patting his cheeks. His eyes flickered open, hazy with pain, but the familiar stubborn fire still burned in them. "Go back to sleep," he muttered, voice hoarse. "You're burning up." I reache