As they moved deeper into the forest, Thalina became acutely aware of how vast and alive everything around her was. The trees were taller here, their thick canopies blotting out much of the fading sunlight, casting everything in a soft, dreamy green. Moss blanketed the ground, and the air was damp but cool—comforting in a strange way.
But her body? It was screaming.
Her stomach twisted painfully, reminding her she hadn't eaten anything since the chaos began. Her limbs were heavy, her head throbbed, and the ache in her back from sitting too long on Eyrx's tail was getting harder to ignore. She leaned her weight against his cool, muscled torso, trying to stay upright without complaining—but gods, she was tired.
Still, she forced herself to remember. There were herbs she had to collect. Spices. Leaves. Something about berries too—was it white or red ones? Ugh. Her brain felt like it was melting.
