She was utterly still, unconscious, her body frighteningly quiet, the lingering heat from the flames still making her skin sizzle faintly. Valerian's hand moved carefully to her face, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her temple, his thumb tracing the line of her brow.
"Aurelia, open your eyes," he murmured, his voice thick with a desperate plea.
Still, he got nothing. Her eyelids remained stubbornly closed, and his expression hardened, a familiar resolve settling over his features. With a swift movement, he shucked off his own heavy cloak, draping the rich, dark fabric carefully over her, covering her nudity with a practiced, protective gesture. Then, as if she weighed nothing at all, he lifted her into his arms, holding her close to his chest.
