4338.209 · July 28, 2018 AD
Same Miracle Twice
Duke's growl is wrong—primal, afraid, sensing something Jamie's human senses can't detect. Then screams split the night. Not human screams. The camp scatters into chaos, and Duke slips from Jamie's grip, vanishing into darkness after whatever called to him.
The only one Jamie truly liked walked on four legs. Duke demanded nothing complicated—just walks and affection and the simple loyalty that humans seemed incapable of offering. Now that uncomplicated love is bleeding out in Jamie's arms.
The night brought something worse than a dust storm. Screams that didn't belong to anything human. Chaos that scattered the camp. A mysterious woman with a bow who emerged from nowhere to deliver Duke's broken body with three words: "Take him."
Jamie runs for the river on nothing but desperate faith. The lagoon healed Joel—brought his son back from death itself. Surely it can close the wound in Duke's belly, restore the blood soaking into Jamie's skin, grant one more miracle to a man who's already received more than his share.
Duke's tongue drags weakly across Jamie's wrist. A final kiss. A last gesture of unconditional love.
Then his breath stops.
The river didn't save him. Clivilius taught Jamie something about faith that night—that miracles aren't promises, and some things stay lost no matter how hard you hold on.
