“Where?” Caio’s voice was sharp with anticipation.
I pointed through the trees toward a bend in the river I knew well, a place where the water ran deep and quiet. “There. We have to go now. It will only appear when the moon is at its highest.”
My despair was burned away by a new, desperate purpose. I led the way into the oppressive dark, the glowing map held out as the only guide. Caio followed, a silent shadow at my back. Every snap of a twig sounded like a soldier’s footstep, every shadow seemed to hold a threat.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the carvings led me to a small clearing, bathed in the silver light of the rising moon. My breath caught in my throat. This was it.
But the clearing was empty. Barren. Devoid of life. No vibrant blossoms. No shimmering petals. NoFlor da Lua.
“I’m sure it’s here somewhere,” Caio said, his voice strained, but I could hear the doubt creeping into his words. I shook my head, my heart plummeting into a cold abyss.
“No,” I whispered, the word heavy with despair. “It’s not.” The hope that had burned so brightly just moments before withered and died, leaving behind a desolate emptiness. Failure, bitter and suffocating, welled up inside me. I had failed Inaiá.
“Hey,” Caio said softly, his hand gently resting on my arm. “Don’t give up yet. The map must be right. Maybe we just missed it.” His voice held a forced optimism that I couldn’t muster.
“But it’s empty,” I said, my voice choked with frustration. “There’s nothing here.”
“Let me look around,” he insisted, his gaze sweeping the clearing and the surrounding trees. “Maybe it’s hidden. Ormaybe the map leads to something else, something that will help us find theFlor da Lua.” He squeezed my arm reassuringly before turning away, his eyes scanning the undergrowth.
I sank to my knees, the weight of my failure pressing down on me. The soft earth offered no comfort. The river’s murmur, once soothing, now sounded like a mournful dirge. I closed my eyes, picturing Inaiá’s pale face, her weakening breaths. I had promised her hope, and I had brought back nothing.
A low growl ripped through the stillness, a sound that sent a shiver of primal fear down my spine. My eyes flew open.
A pair of luminous eyes, burning with predatory intent, pierced the darkness from the edge of the clearing. A jaguar, its sleek, muscular body a shadow against the moonlit trees, crouched low to the ground, its tail twitching nervously.
Terror, cold and paralyzing, seized me. I couldn’t scream. I couldn’t move. I could only stare, mesmerized by the deadly beauty of the creature before me.
The jaguar snarled, a deep, guttural sound that vibrated in the air. It took a step forward, its muscles bunching beneath its spotted coat.
“Caio!” I finally managed to choke out, the word a strangled gasp.
He spun around, his eyes widening in alarm as he saw the jaguar. Without hesitation, he lunged in front of me, shielding me with his body.
“Run, Luzia!” he yelled, his voice raw with urgency.
The jaguar sprang, a blur of muscle and teeth. I screamed as it collided with Caio, a sickening thud echoing through the clearing. The two figures tumbled to the ground, a tangle of limbs and snarls. The air filled with the stench of blood and fur.
I scrambled back, my heart pounding against my ribs. I wanted to run, to escape the horrific scene unfolding beforeme, but I couldn’t leave Caio. He was protecting me, sacrificing himself for me.
He grunted, a sound of pain and exertion, as he struggled against the jaguar’s weight. Its powerful jaws snapped inches from his face, its claws tearing at his clothes and skin.
My eyes darted around the clearing, searching for a weapon, anything to defend ourselves. Then I saw it. A thick branch, broken and jagged, lay near the edge of the clearing.
Scrambling to my feet, I lunged for the branch, my fingers closing around the rough bark. It was heavy and unwieldy, but it was all I had. With a guttural cry, I charged toward the jaguar, raising the branch high above my head.
The jaguar, momentarily distracted by its struggle with Caio, turned its head, its luminous eyes fixing on me. I brought the branch down with all my strength, aiming for its head. The wood connected with a sickening thud, a dull crack echoing through the clearing.
The jaguar roared in pain and surprise, releasing Caio and stumbling back. It shook its head, dazed, blood trickling from a gash above its eye. For a moment, it stood there, its eyes blazing with fury, its body tensed to spring.
Then, with a final snarl, it turned and disappeared into the darkness, melting into the shadows of the trees. The silence that followed was broken only by Caio’s ragged breaths and my trembling gasps. I dropped the branch, my arms shaking with exhaustion and adrenaline.
“Caio!” I rushed to his side, my voice thick with fear and relief. He lay on the ground, still and unmoving. “Caio, are you all right?”
He groaned, slowly pushing himself up onto his elbows. His face was pale, streaked with dirt and blood. Deep scratches raked across his arm, and his clothes were torn and stained. “I… I think so,” he rasped, his voice weak.
Relief washed over me, so potent it almost brought me to my knees. He was alive. But as he pushed himself up, a low moan escaped his lips, and my blood ran cold. His left arm hung limply at his side, and a dark stain was spreading across his shoulder, blossoming across torn fabric of his shirt.
“Caio!” I cried, scrambling to his side. “You’re hurt!”
