Noel lay sprawled on his bed, bare-chested, bandages still wrapped tightly around his ribs and right arm. The room was dim, the curtains drawn shut to keep the lingering winter chill at bay. Revenant Fang rested quietly on the desk nearby, its black edge catching the faintest glimmer of candlelight.
Beneath a mound of bundled sheets, nestled close to his side, was the egg.
Smooth, solid, and infuriatingly silent.
"I've been at this for three days," Noel muttered, glaring down at the lump beneath the blankets. "Fire magic.
Moderate heat. Even wrapped it like a damn newborn. Nothing."
He exhaled sharply and closed his eyes, pulling the sheets tighter.
"Status."
A blue message flickered into view:
[Incubation Status: Inactive – Temperature insufficient.]
"Of course," he sighed. "Of course it is."
He rolled onto his back, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling. "I should be studying for final exams. I've barely got a week left."
