Luke jerked, sitting up with a gasp. His head nearly bumped my chin, but he caught himself, relaxing back into my lap. My hand rested on his head, idly stroking the hair between his horns. My face warmed as his eyes suddenly widened, and he realized what was happening.
"Xiviyah?" he asked slowly. "What are you…what happened? Am I alive?"
"I…I'm sorry. I healed you," I whispered.
"Healed?"
His hand flew to his chest. It froze when his fingers touched smooth, unblemished skin.
"It's gone…?"
Disbelief crept into his voice. I flinched, my tail twitching restlessly.
"I had to, or you would have…died," I said in a small voice. "I'm so sorry."
Luke blinked slowly, not quite seeming to register it yet. His finger traced a circle over his chest, where the heart of the corruption had been.
