It had been two days since Jamie had last seen Claire, and with each passing moment, his worry deepened into a relentless knot in his chest. He couldn’t understand why she hadn’t come to tend to him as she always did. He couldn’t bear a moment without her. Claire’s absence left an ache in his heart that he couldn’t ignore. He yearned for her comforting presence, her healing touch, and her reassuring voice that could chase away any fear or pain.