Chapter Twenty-three

Chapter Twenty-three
JASMINE'S POV

I looked at him, feeling totally aghast. What could have happened to leave him this way.

Liam never looked shaken. Not during storms. Not during fights. Not even when the western barn caught fire last winter. But right now his face was pale, like the blood had drained straight out of him. That terrified me more than anything he could have said.

"Jasmine?" Liam questioned with urgency in his tone, and I shook my head.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Yes, yes. Is there anything that I need to get?"

"No, just come now." he said. I didn't even stop to think, I put on the first pair of easy foot wear I could find. They were possibly mismatched, but I did not care at that moment. Something had happened to my mate. And by the look on Liam's face, that something seemed somewhat serious.

My fingers trembled so badly I nearly tied my laces wrong twice. My heart wouldn’t slow down. It slammed against my ribs like it was trying to escape me. Every second felt stolen. Every second I wasn’t moving felt dangerous.

"you like to ride, don't you?" Liam asked, when we got outside. He paused and turned to look at me. Thank God for that pause, for I was panting for dear life. I hadn't run like that since that day in the woods.

"yeah." I managed to say, with my hand over my chest, "but, I'm no good at it on my own."

"lucky for you, I am. Come now, let’s go to the stables."

"I have a horse, I've sort of bonded with… if you don't mind." I said, when he I followed him into the stables.

"you don't say. Which one?"

"Damien calls her Gracie." I pointed to the mare that was watching us with soulful eyes.

She huffed softly when she saw me, ears twitching forward like she recognized the fear in my scent.

Liam looked at the horse, then looked at me before nodding.

"Then Gracie it is then. Let me get her out." He walked to the Mare's stall, ran a hand over her head, before helping her out of the stall.

"come on then, get on." Liam announced when we got out. I pressed my lips together and walked toward the horse, closed my eyes in mortification, before looking back at Liam.

"I'm going to need you to help me." I said quietly.

"what? Get on?" he said, and I was thankful he didn't sound too surprised.

"yes. Yes please."

"not a problem." he said, and walked over to me. Without saying anything more, he grabbed me by middle, and lifted me up.

"well then." I exclaimed and he chuckled.

"sorry if I'm a bit brutish right now. But we haven't the time for modesty."

"it's okay. " I said, and tried to make myself comfortable, then he got in behind me.

"ready?" he asked, and I blew out a breath before nodding.

"yes, ready."

"Are you going to tell me what the problem is?"

"We ran into some problems at the mines earlier, some of the men got trapped. Damien and I tried to save them, then it was Damien who got trapped."

"oh my," I exclaimed, real fear making me feel somewhat paralyzed.

My fingers dug into the saddle at his words. My mind instantly filled with images I didn’t want... falling rock, dust, darkness swallowing him whole. Damien calling my name and me not there to answer.

"Easy, Darling." Liam said in a calming tone, "we got him out."

"okay. Okay." I said, trying to breathe through the anxiety, "so if you got him out, what really is the problem?"

"we got him out, Jasmine. But we can't get him to wake up."

Liam's words echoed in my head again and again. What did he mean Damien wasn't waking up?

"have you taken him to the hospital?" I heard myself asking. And of course, I asked that, it was the only logical thing to do at that moment.

"he doesn't need the hospital, Jas. He needs you."

"me?"

"yes."

But what was I supposed to do? I mean, I was a nurse, but if Liam was telling me , a hospital was not what was needed , what exactly did they need me for now?

I didn’t ask any more questions. We rode in silence, while I hoped and prayed that Damien was okay.

The mines weren't very far from our home stead, and all the soot and smoke greeted us as we approached. But in the midst of all the noise and chaos, my mind and heart only searched for one person.

"there he is." Liam said, and put the horse to a stop. When we alighted, he tied Gracie's reins, and we went to meet Damien.

He was laying on the ground, with the regal woman that had come to visit days before, kneeling beside him.

"did you bring her?" she asked without turning around.

"yeah, I did." Liam responded, and turned to face me, "Go ahead." he said gently.

I swallowed thickly, and went to kneel at Damien's other side.

The woman looked at me for one brief moment, before closing her eyes, and stretching out her hands toward me.

I took them, and felt so much power rushing through, and for that moment, I knew what had to be done.