"What are you doing?" Anastasia shouted as she tried to pry the dagger from Iona's hand.
Iona dodged her efforts. "I will slice my wrist to give him blood. I will let him feed on every last drop of my blood, but he has to live!"
"Iona!" Anastasia scolded her and forced her to throw the dagger on the ground. "Stop it. He won't be saved with your blood. We need the blood from his family."
Iona started crying again. She rushed to Rolfe's side and held his hand to her cheeks. "Then what do I do?" she asked, feeling utterly helpless. Anastasia moved to her and started stroking her hair. The girl had gone through so much that seeing her in this state made her heart wrench with pain.
"He will be fine, Iona…" Anastasia tried to reassure her as she stroked her hair and her back, her fingers infusing warm and soft magic so that her ache subdued.
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