Cora's POV
I raised my hand to touch my nose, and when I pulled them back, my fingers were warm and wet.
When I looked down, I saw blood trickling down my hand.
I froze, a tightness forming in my chest.
I knew this was not a good sign.
Mark's voice broke through my thoughts, "Cora, you don't look well. Are you feeling sick?"
I forced a smile and looked at him. "You don't look much better."
Mark was holding Isla, and the little girl gently reached toward me, trying to wipe away the blood from my nose.
Her small hand patted my face, bringing a moment of warmth and comfort, but the blood kept flowing.
The longer the bleeding lasted, the weaker I felt, and Mark's expression grew more anxious.
"Cora, do you still have your Amulet?" he asked, urgency in his voice.
Panic seized me, and I quickly reached for my neck.
My fingers brushed over bare skin, and cold sweat broke out across my back.
I stopped moving, my eyes wide with realization as I looked at Mark. "Damn it, the Amulet is gone! It must have been washed away by the water!"
Mark's face grew even more serious upon hearing this.
He carefully set Isla down on the ground and quickly tore his own Amulet from around his neck.
Without a second thought, he held it out to me. "Put this on. Tie it tight."
The determination in his eyes left no room for argument, but my heart couldn't accept the gesture.
"No, Mark, that's yours. I can't—" I began to protest, but he cut me off.
Not giving me a chance to refuse, he stepped behind me and gently tied the Amulet around my neck.
I felt his fingers knotting the string softly against my skin, and for a moment, my heart seemed to skip a beat.
The air between us grew thick with unspoken tension, as though this simple action carried a promise neither of us could voice.
His fingers brushed lightly against my neck—gentle yet firm.
We both knew he was giving me his chance to survive, and I, too weak to refuse, could do nothing to stop him.
"Let's rest for a while before we move on," he said calmly, as if the weight of his decision hadn't shaken him.
We found a large tree to rest under.
I leaned against the trunk, while Isla lay across Mark's lap.
Mark gently stroked her back as he patiently pointed out things around us.
He picked up a leaf and said, "This is a leaf, Isla. A leaf." His voice was soft and soothing.
"Leabu," Isla repeated in her small, delicate voice.
Mark pointed to a butterfly fluttering nearby. "Look, that's a butterfly. A yellow butterfly."
"Buttafa, yallow!" Isla mimicked, her words slightly unclear, but her excitement was palpable.
Mark smiled and then pointed to some small wildflowers. "Those are flowers, pink flowers."
"Flawer, pin!" Isla shouted happily, her little face glowing with joy.
Watching this scene unfold, I couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth and sadness.
It was such a beautiful moment, like we were a simple, happy family.
Mark, caring for Isla, looked every bit like a loving father.
Every move he made was full of gentleness and patience, and Isla's small smiles brought life to the quiet forest.
After resting for a bit, we decided to continue our journey.
I offered to carry Isla, knowing that both she and I needed the protection of the Amulet around my neck. Besides, I could see that Mark's condition was worsening.
I had been through this before—without the Amulet, Mark's face was growing paler, and his steps were becoming heavier.
I suggested taking the pack from him, but he refused.
As we walked along the mountainside, the sun's rays bathed us in a gentle warmth.
Mark suddenly smiled and said, "I used to think you were a spoiled rich girl, but you're tougher than I expected. Brave, too, and kind."
I smiled back. "I'm glad you're finally noticing my good traits. There's more to me than you know."
Mark chuckled, a warmth in his eyes.
I could feel that he didn't dislike me.
In fact, I was certain he had feelings for me, too.
A surge of confidence welled up inside me—this wasn't just one-sided.
We hadn't encountered any strange creatures along the way, and Mark even found some fruits we'd never seen before. He said they looked like apples.
We couldn't be sure if they were really apples, but in our situation, anything that could give us energy was worth trying.
As time passed, I could see Mark's strength fading.
His breathing grew labored, and his steps slowed.
I stayed close to him, hoping the Amulet's protection might help shield him from the Enigma radiation.
The three of us felt like a small family, moving forward together despite the dangers. We leaned on each other for support, quietly pressing on.
In my heart, I made a silent vow that once we reached Tirfothuinn, I would adopt Isla and more children like her, those left without parents.
As night began to fall, we had been walking for what felt like hours, yet we still hadn't left the plains.
As dusk settled across the plains, we decided to stop for the night.
There was no other option for shelter; the vast open landscape offered nothing but endless stretches of grass, bending and swaying in the gentle evening breeze.
A single, large tree stood a little ways off—a solitary silhouette against the fading light. It wasn't much, but it was all we had.
I settled down beside him, the cool night air pressing in as we sat in silence beneath the tree.
The plains stretched out around us, quiet and still, but somehow, in that moment, the world felt a little less heavy.
Mark lowered himself with a weary sigh, pressing his back against the rough bark as he closed his eyes.
His exhaustion was undeniable; every line of his face seemed etched with fatigue, the weariness settling heavily on his shoulders.
In the fading light, his skin looked almost translucent, and his usually warm complexion was a pale shade of grey.
I watched him quietly, my heart aching at how worn down he seemed. As he shifted slightly, his sleeve brushed against his side, and a flash of something dark caught my eye.
Blood.