His thumb traced slow circles on the back of her hand. "When I thought I’d lose you…” Cirrus paused, his voice dropping into near reverence. “It became even clearer to me that I don’t want to live without you.”
Her breath stumbled, every nerve tingling in awareness.
“I… um…”
This was not the usual flirtation, teasing remarks, and suggestive comments they had volleyed for days. This was him putting his heart on an altar. This was Cirrus unmasked and unguarded.
"You don't have to say anything right now," he added. "No onehas to say anything right now."
His hand slipped behind her head, his fingertips skimmed the nape of her neck, diving deep into her hair. His body pressed hers against the rough bark of a tree, not forceful, insistent. The rainforest around her blurred, absorbed by his all-consuming closeness, his breath mingling with hers.
"Cirrus—" she started, but his lips silenced her.
The kiss carried a sense of desperate urgency. Imbued with all the emotions he’d kept buried for too long. His other hand anchored at her waist, pulling her to him as if she might float away. Vivienne’s heart pounded, her hands raised in startled hesitation.
Without warning, Cirrus was ripped away. The moment shattered as Owen materialized out of nowhere, his face a mask of cold fury. He slammed Cirrus against a nearby tree, the impact knocked the wind out of Cirrus. Owen’s forearm an iron bar against Cirrus’ chest. A dagger glinted in the dappled light, its blade pressed to Cirrus’ throat.
"I was beginning to think you could behave yourself, Theodosia." Owen's voice was a low growl. "How dare you take advantage of someone you are supposed to protect!"
Cirrus spoke, his voice tight, trying not to move his neck. "She's my ex-fiancé!" he ground out.
Owen didn’t flinch. "Am I supposed to give a fuck?" The blade bit into Cirrus’ skin. "A previous relationship does not entitle you toanything."
"It's not... I?—”
"Did he hurt you, Vivienne?" Owen demanded, his gaze sharper than his dagger.
"No,” she answered immediately.
"Did youwanthim to kiss you?" he pressed.
“I… well…” Her voice wavered, betraying her uncertainty.
It was enough. Owen’s grip tightened, pushing the knife just enough to draw blood. A thin crimson line beaded along Cirrus’ throat, his jaw clenching against the sting.
"It's fine, Owen!" her voice shot up, motioning for him to stop. "I'mfine."
The commander held his glare a moment longer before stepping back, pulling the blade away, and wiping it clean on his trousers. His eyes moved to her, the icy rage in his eyes beginning to melt. “We need to keep moving. Now.”
Cirrus winced, pressing his fingers against the shallow wound. He turned to Vivienne, half-amused, half-exasperated. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, though her pulse was still erratic. “Areyou?
"Yeah, Banns. I've lived through worse.” He smirked despite himself. “I guess our mother hen has claws." His expression shifted to teasing. "Should I take your worrying about me as a positive sign?"
She parted her lips to reply, but Owen’s voice rang through the trees.
"I said, NOW!"
* * *
“This is getting impossible,”Lewis grumbled, yanking a stubborn vine from his pack. “We’ll be stuck here for days if we keep trying to push through this mess.”
The dense rainforest tangled around them, an unrelenting snare of vines and thorns. Each step was a battle. Their progress slowed to a miserable crawl.
Owen pressed forward, undeterred. “We stay in the forest,” he insisted. “Better cover."
Cirrus, trailing behind Vivienne, let out a scoff. “That might have made sense earlier, but look at this place.” He gestured at the suffocating foliage, his brows drawn in frustration. “We’re hacking through a damned wall of trees while the river runs wide and clear right next to us. We should follow it, the canyon cuts a direct path to the waterfalls.”
