Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 1081

The second she finished speaking, RedFox’s whole face tightened. His eyes darkened with a look that was all anger and something even more dangerous, like she’d just insulted him in the worst way possible.

Camila got it. This was about pride, plain and simple. No man wanted to hear that he wasn’t whole. She could see he was on the edge, maybe even thinking about killing her then and there. She hurried to speak up. “I can help you. Just give me a little time. I promise, I’ll get you back to normal. Your leg, and… everything else.”

That seemed to calm him a little, at least enough that he didn’t look ready to explode. “Are you serious?” he asked, grabbing her arm so hard she almost gasped. He was desperate for reassurance.

It hurt, but Camila kept her cool. She looked him right in the eye and said, “I mean it. Like I said before, if I’m lying, you can kill me anytime you want. It’s not like I’m going anywhere, is it?”

RedFox took a deep breath, clearly trying to decide if he believed her. He didn’t hesitate long. If she hadn’t known what was wrong, she wouldn’t have been able to call it out so easily. That seemed to convince him.

“Alright,” he said. “You get one chance. If you really can fix this, maybe I’ll let you live.”

Camila felt a weight lift off her chest. She let out a breath she’d been holding and managed a little smile. “With that kind of promise, I’ll do my absolute best.”

Now that his future was on the line, RedFox’s attitude changed. He actually treated her like a real doctor, asking what she needed for the treatment.

Camila didn’t hold back. “I’ll need a set of silver needles, and these herbs.” She quickly wrote up a list and handed it over.

RedFox glanced at it, frowning a bit. He didn’t recognize any of the herbs. He’d heard of traditional healers before, and knew they worked differently than Western doctors, so he was willing to give it a shot. But when she mentioned the silver needles, he looked suspicious. “What are the needles for?”

Even though he wasn’t from around here, he’d heard stories about mysterious healers, people who could do all kinds of things with silver needles—sometimes even use them as weapons. He clearly thought she might be up to something.

That made his hand shake. He froze, then handed the knife back to her, face cold. “You do it.”

Camila had expected this. She took the knife and got to work, but RedFox wasn’t letting his guard down. “You’d better be careful,” he warned. “If you try anything, my men will shoot you on the spot.” He signaled, and one of his men raised a gun and aimed it right at her.

Camila just rolled her eyes, but didn’t argue. She made a quick, careful cut in his leg. Immediately, dark blood spurted out. She was ready, pressing a clean piece of gauze to the wound before it could make a mess.

The smell hit them almost right away, sharp and metallic, with a sour, rotten edge. RedFox wrinkled his nose, looking disgusted. “What is that?”

She answered honestly, “That’s the old, poisoned blood that’s been stuck in your leg for years. We have to get it out first. After that, I’ll need to use special techniques and a medicinal oil I’ll make to help your leg heal. The injury’s been there a long time, so this won’t be a quick fix. It’s going to take some time, but I can help you get better.”