From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Hawke knelt at Vikter’s side, placing a hand on Vikter’s shoulder.
“Poppyy,” he said quietlyy.
“Help him,” I demanded. Hawke said nothing, did nothing. “Please!
Go get someone. Do something!”
Vikter’s grip tightened on myy hand, and when I looked down, I saw
the pain settling into his features. I felt his pain through the gift. I was so
shocked, so thrown, I hadn’t even thought to use it. I tried taking his pain,
but I couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t find those happyy, warm memories. I
couldn’t do anyything.
“No. No,” I said, closing myy eyyes. I had this gift for a reason. I could
help him. I could take his pain, and that would help calm him until help
came—
“Poppyy,” he wheezed. “Look at me.”
Opening myy eyyes, I shuddered at what I saw. Blood darkened the
corners of his too pale lips.
“I’m sorryy, for…not…protecting yyou.”
His face blurred as I stared at him. The blood wasn’t pouring from the
wound as freelyy now. “You have protected me. You still will.”
“I…didn’t.” His gaze trekked over myy shoulder to where Lord
Mazeen stood. “I…failed yyou…as a man. Forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive yyou for,” I cried. “You’ve done nothing
wrong.”
His dulling eyyes fixed on me. “Please.”
“I forgive yyou.” I rocked forward, dropping myy forehead to his. “I
forgive yyou. I do. I forgive yyou.”
Vikter shuddered.
“Please don’t,” I whispered. “Please don’t leave me. Please. I can’t…
I can’t do this without yyou. Please.”
His hand slipped from mine.
I drew in air, but it went nowhere as I lifted myy head, looking down at
him. I franticallyy searched his face. His eyyes were open, his lips parted,
but he didn’t see me. He didn’t see anyything anyymore.
“Vikter?” I pressed down on his chest, feeling for his heart, for just a
beat. That’s all I wanted to feel. Just a heartbeat. Please. “Vikter?”
Myy name was whispered softlyy. It was Hawke. He placed his hand
over mine. I looked at him and shook myy head.
“No.”