Above them, the sunlight pierced the mist like a divine spotlight, glinting off Thalina's red hair and casting a soft glow over her still features.
Eyrx didn't notice the light.
His focus was fixed on her.
She had gone silent too fast. Too completely. One second talking, the next—nothing.
His tail curled tighter around her legs, anchoring her in place. He knelt beside her, gaze hard as he tucked a strand of damp hair behind her ear, his fingers brushing the side of her face with more care than he realized.
Her skin was too pale.
His jaw tensed.
"Thalina." He said her name low, almost flat, but there was something steely in his tone—like a warning to the world itself not to mess with her. "Wake up."
Nothing.
He shifted slightly, one arm moving to support her back. His thumb pressed lightly beneath her chin, tilting her face toward him. Her breathing had slowed.
Too slow.
