It pressed its pearl-white body against her palm, a soft, clicking purr thrumming from deep within its chest.
Vivienne let out a breathless laugh, her earlier terror melting into bewildered amusement. “It’s like a cat.”
More of them followed suit, weaving between her and Lewis, taking turns nudging against her touch. Their silky fur brushed against her fingertips, warm and weightless.
Lewis grinned, petting the one beside him. “Okay… I’ll admit it. They’re actually kind of cute, but completely terrifying at first.”
Cirrus, however, was still pressed against the wall, his breathing ragged.
Lewis, ever the opportunist, flashed him a devious smile. “What do you think, Cici? Should we adopt one?”
Cirrus made a strangled sound, his voice barely above a horrified whisper. “I hate you.”
Vivienne pressed a hand to his shoulder, grounding him. “They’re gone now.”
Cirrus gave a stiff nod, still looking like he wanted to fling himself off the nearest cliff.
Lewis stretched with an exaggerated sigh, flopping onto a rock. “Finally! A creature that doesn’t want to kill us. That’s a refreshing change.”
Vivienne’s smile faded as she turned back to Owen. The fever was still there. The venom still burned beneath his skin. But… for the first time, there was hope. The Arachsylphs had given him time.
She ran her fingers over the silk one more time, awe settling deep into her bones. This was more than legend—this was a miracle.
They weren’t out of danger yet. But now?
Now, Owen had a fighting chance.
* * *
The Ignis bark’slight flickered against the cave walls, casting dancing shadows playing tricks on her weary mind. Vivienne sat cross-legged a few feet from Owen, her eyes fixed on the entrance to the tunnels stretching deeper into the mountain.
The flickering glow of the Ignis bark sent twisting shadows along the cave walls, making them ripple and shift as if the darkness itself were alive. Vivienne sat cross-legged, her fingers curling and uncurling against the stone floor as she stared into the yawning tunnel ahead. The damp air carried a deep, earthy scent, tinged with something metallic. The unknown pressed against her like a weight on her chest.
"We can’t just sit here," she said at last, shattering the tense stillness that had settled over them like a burial shroud. "There has to be something we missed—something deeper in the tunnels, about the flower or the curse."
Although the Arachsylphs silk had slowed the spread of the venom, Vivienne couldn’t deny the signs of Owen’s condition worsening.
Behind her, Owen shifted, suppressing a grimace as he adjusted his wounded arm. His breathing was uneven, his body trembling beneath the fever’s relentless grip. "I’m not stopping you," he muttered. "But I’m not going anywhere. You’d have to drag me."
The anxiety in her body felt like a tight braid.
Lewis, perched on a jagged rock beside the commander, raked a hand through his sweat-damp hair. "So, what’s the plan?" he asked, glancing between them. "We can’t all go exploring and leave him here alone. If something happens?—"
He gestured toward the stagnant pools at the edge of the cavern, their murky surfaces shimmering with an oily film. "We’re low on food. We’re out of clean water. If we go back to the Zephyrus, Owen won’t survive the journey."
Vivienne swallowed hard, her throat dry. "We can’t take him with us."
The words tasted like betrayal.
Owen gave a weak, breathless chuckle. "But you can leave me behind."
Her head snapped toward him. “Owen, no?—”
"You don’t have a choice, Vivienne," he said, his voice low but steady. "If you stay here, we all die. I’m not under any illusions—I might not make it out of here either way."
The reality of it thundered through her. If they stayed, they’d watch him waste away. If they left, he would die. She might never see him again.
Lewis let out a slow breath, his expression hardening with resolve. "I’ll go. I’ll go with Viv."
