Jasmine's POV
Palmer looked absolutely destroyed.
His face bore the brutal evidence of Jayden's rage - swollen features, one eye sealed shut by purple bruising, skin drained of all warmth. Dried blood caked the corner of his mouth, yet somehow he managed to twist his battered lips into that familiar lopsided grin when Nurse Cecelia ordered everyone out of the treatment room.
"Don't worry about me," he croaked through damaged vocal cords. "Still the toughest bastard you know, right?"
The sight made my throat constrict painfully.
I managed a weak nod, though reassurance felt impossible. Behind me, Luis, Lina, and Stephen wore matching expressions of concern. The handful of students who had helped carry Palmer here clustered anxiously outside the clinic doors.
I moved closer to his bedside. "Are you certain you'll be okay?"
