Chapter 23
It Wasn't a Trick
The young man waved his assistant off. He still breathless but very much alive. His gaze held mine with a startling intensity.
"I am fine, thanks to this lady." He struggled to rise; the assistant and I helped steady him. "You saved me from a dreadful scene. I am in your debt."
Before I could speak, a retailer pushed forward, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "What did she give him? Probably just water with a drop of honey. I've seen these tricks before."
"But he is cured! That's like a magic!"
Another woman chimed in, her voice dripping with disdain. "It's all psychological. That's what doctors say. A placebo. Nothing more."
Heat rushed to my cheeks, but I forced myself to stand tall. Before I could respond, the young man found his voice.
"It wasn't a trick," he said, louder this time, dread lingering in his voice. "I could feel it, something untying the knots inside me."
