Far west of camp, crumbling stone structures lay hidden beneath vines and moss.
Cirrus followed her gaze, eyes narrowing. "Oh my gods."
"You’ve never found them before?"
He shook his head. "No one has. We were told this island was uninhabited, that it always had been."
Someone found them before.If her mother had drawn the ruins, why hadn't they been explored?
Vivienne's gaze shifted. "That tree," she pointed. "It's massive, but nothing’s growing over it."
Cirrus frowned. "It looks burned.”
A chill crawled up her spine despite the heat. "We have to investigate. The tree, those ruins...they could change everything."
He spread the map out on the stone, handing her the charcoal stick. "Let’s mark them."
Cirrus crouched beside her, watching as she sketched their calculations. His voice was quieter now, almost wistful. “You’ve always had a knack for this. I miss solving puzzles with you. Making discoveries together.”
Vivienne didn’t look up. “That was years ago. Those days are behind us.”
He hesitated, then reached for her hand, stilling the charcoal above the parchment. “They don’t have to be.”
She pulled away, standing abruptly. “We should head back.” In her peripheral vision, she caught the flash of hurt on his face.
Their descent was steeped in silence, broken only by their heavy breathing and the scrape of boots on stone. When they reached level ground, Cirrus suddenly stopped.
“Why did you call things off?”
He can’t be serious.Vivienne sighed. “You want to do this now?”
“This might be our only chance to have this conversation without being overheard.” He folded his arms. “We were happy. Everything was going well?—”
“Going well?” she scoffed. “Cirrus, you know it’s not that simple.”
“Why can’t it be?” He stepped closer, frustration lacing his voice. “I was willing to walk away from all of it for you.”
Here we go again. She rubbed her temples. “Walking away from your title means you’d never be welcome in the Kingdom of Roanthe again. Your family would lose everything—their business, their court standing. Your sisters’ futures and marriage prospects would evaporate.”
“All we ever do is try to please our parents. I’m sick of it. I want us to build a life together, on our own terms.”
Vivienne shook her head, anger pooling in her stomach as a humorless laugh snuck past her lips. “This was always ourrealproblem. You’re in fantasy land while I have to be realistic. You were born to be the next Lord of Claringbold. I was raised to be the next steward of the Library of Metis. We would’ve lived in two different kingdoms. We couldn’t have a marriage that way. What kind of life would that be?”
“There’s a library in Clari?—”
“Don’t!” she cut him off, holding up a hand. “You know it’s not the same. I would have to give up my career as an antiquary. I’d never be more than the wife of Lord Claringbold.”
Cirrus dragged a frustrated hand through his hair. “Then I’ll stay in Fendwyr. They can pass the title to Cecile or Adalie?—”
She threw her hands up in exasperation. “We’ve been over this. Passing the title doesn’t fix anything. We’d still end up decimating your family, and Claringbold, with our selfishness.”
Her harsh tone dissolved. “I called things off because nothing about our futures was going to change. And you would never have the guts to end it.”
His face went taut, speechless.
Tears burned at the edges of her eyes. “Ending our engagement was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. But it was therightchoice. If you hate me for it… I understand.”
Cirrus stepped closer, his hands firm on her shoulders. “Hate you? Banns, we argue, we push each other, but I could never hate you.” His ice-blue eyes held something raw, an emotion deeper than frustration.
