Page 21

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V ivienne wiped the sweat from her brow, her boots sinking into the mud with each step. "Remind me why this was a good idea?" she panted.

Cirrus glanced back, flashing his usual confident smile. "Best view is at the top."

She hesitated before taking his offered hand, letting him pull her up over a slick patch of moss-covered rocks.

"Trust me."

"Hah, sure," she snarked, yanking her hand away and trudging ahead.

Her legs burned, but slowing down wasn’t an option—not unless she wanted to tumble back down the cliffside. By the time she reached the ledge, she collapsed onto the stone, chest heaving. Cirrus, of course, looked barely winded, which annoyed her to no end. Even sweating, he somehow looked more attractive. Maybe if I keep up the boiled bullfrog look, he’ll stop flirting. Silver lining.

"Banns, you have to see this."

Vivienne pushed up onto her elbows and all the air left her lungs. The rainforest unfolded beneath them in an endless sea of emerald, interrupted only by jagged mountains with waterfalls tumbling down their sides. Cirrus pulled a map and charcoal stick from his bag, sketching rough lines of the river and circling the clearing where their camp sat.

She swallowed hard, realizing how high they’d climbed. "Have you been up here before?"

He shook his head. "I've been here twice, but we only mapped the coastline and explored around camp."

Vivienne frowned. Then how did her mother’s journal contain such detailed sketches of the island? She closed her eyes, recalling the page—rock formations, a leafless tree. But as she scanned the landscape, her breath stuttered. Not rock formations. Ruins.

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 our real problem. 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 the right choice. 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.

Vivienne exhaled, a wave of relief washing over her. “I know this isn’t what we wanted years ago.”

“What do you want now ?” His right hand slid from her shoulder to her face, his thumb grazing her chin as he tilted it up. “I’ve always been clear about what I wanted. I wanted you.” His voice was hushed yet insistent. “You said you ended things due to practicalities, but you didn’t say your feelings changed.”

Shit. Vivienne was not prepared to have this part of the conversation. She’d locked her heart away years ago to protect herself. To protect her decision to end things. Him standing this close to her threatened her resolve. The chemistry between them had always made her less rational.

“Do you still have feelings for me? If you don’t, I’ll walk away… but don’t lie to me.” He scanned her face, watching every cue.

She tried to shake her head, but his grip kept her still. “Cirrus, it’s more complicated than?—”

“Gods, Banns, just answer the question,” he murmured, his mouth a breath away. “Yes, or no?”

Her pulse hammered as he edged closer. “It doesn’t matter what I feel?—”

“I’m not hearing a no,” he whispered against her lips.

“…It’s not a no,” she breathed.

In an instant his lips were on hers. Slow, searching, stirring up everything she’d buried. The warmth of his touch sent fire through her veins as she leaned into him, her hands finding his chest. The kiss deepened, unraveling years of restraint in a single moment.

Just as suddenly, he pulled away. His smile was knowing, breathless. “Definitely not a no.”

Cirrus turned and walked away, leaving Vivienne standing there, hands hovering in the empty space where he’d been. Her fingertips brushed her lips, tingling from the kiss.

With her heart still racing, she forced herself to move, hurrying to keep him in sight through the labyrinth of trees. Vivienne, what have you done?