Tonia's POV
"Kermit?" His name escaped my lips in a trembling whisper as my palms cradled his neck with desperate gentleness.
Where had this come from?
Bewilderment crashed over me like a wave. Kermit was slipping away from consciousness, his neck growing heavy against my touch.
The sound of slow, mocking applause cut through the air. My chest constricted with agonizing pain as I turned to see Bradley approaching, his followers trailing behind him like shadows.
I immediately turned back to Kermit, who had collapsed completely in my embrace.
This couldn't be happening.
My fingers trembled violently as I extracted the arrow from his flesh. Crimson blood erupted from the wound, soaking through my clothing.
"Kermit?" I whispered again.
Silence.
This was impossible. Kermit had endured far worse than this. A simple arrow couldn't possibly render him unconscious like this. I had never witnessed anything capable of affecting him so severely.
