I place my hands on his shoulder blades.
His skin is freezing. Dense. Unyielding.
But beneath the surface, I can feel the faint pulse of his amber veins, the slow, steady rhythm of his ancient biology.
I start mapping the mineral seams.
There's a severe ridge running along the base of his left wing, a calcified line that extends from his shoulder blade down to the anchor point where the wing connects to his spine. I trace it with my fingertips, feeling the texture, the density, the way the stone has locked itself into place.
"This is bad," I murmur. "You've got a full seam here. It's going to take serious pressure to break it up."
"I trust your judgment."
I pause.
He's never said that before.
I glance down at the back of his head, at the way his dark hair falls across the padded cradle, and something in my chest tightens.
Focus, Tamsin. You're a professional. You can do this.
I coat my hands in more volcanic oil. The thick, mineral-rich liquid slides across my palms, warming instantly against my skin. It smells like sulfur and sage, sharp and earthy.
And then I lean forward.
I drive my weight down through my palms, pressing into the calcified ridge at the base of his wing.
The resistance is immediate. His body doesn't give. It's like pressing into solid granite.
But I don't back off.
I shift my weight, repositioning myself, and I press harder. I use my forearms now, driving my elbows into the anchor points, using every ounce of leverage I can generate from this position.
The volcanic oil heats up under the friction. I can feel it warming, the chemical reaction activating, seeping into the calcified tissue.
And then I feel it.
A faint shift.
A microscopic give beneath my hands.
I press harder.
The mineral seam resists. It fights me. But I refuse to let it win.
I lean my full body weight into the pressure, my forearms braced against his wing joint, my thighs gripping his sides for stability. Sweat beads on my forehead. My muscles burn. But I don't stop.
I drive deeper.
Harder.
And then—
CRACK.
The sound echoes through the room.
It's loud. Sharp. A distinct mineral snap that reverberates off the volcanic stone walls.
