15. Chapter Fifteen

THEO

The stifling, oppressive humidity seeps into my lungs, thick and heavy like a wet blanket. The air reeks of decaying plants and earth, the pungent smell of dampness clinging to every surface. I can almost taste the musty odor of worms as they wriggle through the soggy soil. It's suffocating, like being trapped in a greenhouse during a heatwave.

That's because we are. Bedlam Academy's greenhouse has tens of thousands of the realm's rarest plants, like the Iridescent Lily, whose petals change colors with the phases of the moon, or the Whispering Willow, a tree that hums lullabies to the wind. The Wandering Star Vine, whose flashing, bioluminescent flowers bloom only at midnight during the year's longest night, or the Incendiary Rose, its thorns filled with a volatile sap that ignites when exposed to air.

The greenhouse is an arboreal treasure trove, but right now, it feels more like a broiling sauna. Heat-induced hallucinations wouldn't be far off in this infernal plant prison.

There's a reason this class is only taught in the cooler months, or taken outside. You can't use a cooling charm in here, or you'll upset the delicate temperament of the plant life.

One wrong spell and the whole greenhouse could go up in flames—or worse, freeze over. The plants would die instantly. And Professor Blush, the Herbology teacher, who is a witch with a human-like lifespan and ailments, would probably have a heart attack.

Herbology is one of my weakest subjects, as I prefer to dance in the skies than dine in the dirt. The only thing that makes this bearable is Rose's state of undress. Skimpy shorts, barely-there crop top. Legs for days. Though, it's proving to be quite the distraction for each of us.

This morning, we're studying the Snaring Snapdragon, a carnivorous plant that feeds on magical entities. Its long tendrils twitch and sway, sensitive to magic, waiting to latch onto any unguarded spell. Studying it requires extreme caution, since one wrong move could mean you lose a finger—or something more vital.

Chaos asks Rose to hold a small orb of restrained magic near the plant, to entice and observe its feeding pattern. Her hand trembles as she does so, her eyes transfixed as wonder courses through her veins. The plant writhes in anticipation, relishing the enticing magic so near yet out of reach. Its long tendrils quiver, each one lusting for that sweet magical essence.

A small smirk adorns my face as I watch her.

She's absolutely fearless, which is both exhilarating and terrifying to witness. Rose has always been a force to be reckoned with, yet she treads into the world headfirst with a certain naivety that's both amusing and endearing.

"Now what?" she breathes.

"Watch closely," Chaos instructs gently, his words just above a whisper. The emerald-green tendrils of the plant coil and uncoil, like serpentine predators preparing to strike.

Rose inches the orb closer, and with a burst of speed, the plant lunges and snatches at the orb, its tendrils wrapping around the magical source with a wild, almost sentient hunger. The orb pulses and glows brighter, its magical essence being drained as we watch in fascinated awe.

As the magic is siphoned away, the Snaring Snapdragon changes, its dull green hue deepening to a prismatic display of colors. It's feeding, thriving on the magical essence, and illuminating each vein and thorn.

The rest of the day is spent here, learning taxonomy, observing the effects of various potions on different plants, and understanding the properties and uses of each one.

"Mind if I steal our girl for lunch?" I slide my arm around her sweat-dampened shoulders as soon as we exit the greenhouse. I use a cooling charm on us both and watch the goosebumps spread across her skin as she relaxes.

I see a protest on their lips that dies as quickly as Rose's eyes light up. She loves our adventures together.

"If you're back in an hour." Chaos inclines his head. "We've got a lot of work to do."

Rose turns her face up to meet mine. "Where are we going?"

I grin before I press my lips to hers, sifting us before she can even open her eyes. A blink later, we're in the small clearing through the jungle where I hide my motorcycle. The very kind that are banned in Bedlam.

Her eyes widen as she takes in the sight of the black, gleaming machine. "Theo," she breathes out, her fingers already reaching out to ghost over the polished metal surface. "Are we …?"

"We're going on a ride," I confirm, pulling two helmets out from under the seat and handing one to her.

She's only been on it once—our first date—and I've been dying to get the metal beast under us since.

Her eyes sparkle with delight as I secure the helmet on her head, my fingers lingering to tuck a rebellious strand of hair behind her ear. She climbs onto the motorcycle behind me, wrapping her arms securely around my waist.

"You ready?" I ask, turning to look at her over my shoulder. She nods, her teeth digging into her bottom lip in exhilaration. With a rev of the engine, we lurch forward, causing Rose to tighten her grip around my waist. The bike roars to life beneath us as we tear through the jungle.

Leaves and branches whip past us as we maneuver through the dense trees, breaking out into another clearing. One that gives me just enough space to do what I need to do.

Gripping the handlebars, I close my eyes, envisioning the destination to the finest detail. Her breath hitches in surprise, her grip tightening as I draw in a deep breath, focusing on the image of our destination. I picture the chilly expanses of Rexuna, the stark white peaks towering against a stark blue sky, the crisp air biting at our cheeks. With the scene vivid in my mind, I release the breath slowly, feeling the world shift around us.

The humid heat of the jungle vanishes, replaced by the sharp, cold air of the mountain region. The sudden change causes Rose to gasp, her body pressing closer against mine for warmth. When we open our eyes, the lush greenery has gone, now surrounded by snow-dusted landscapes and towering mountains that pierce the clouds.

I turn off the motorcycle, and we dismount, our tennis shoes crunching on the frosty ground of Rexuna. Rose's eyes are wide with wonder, her face lit by the pale sunlight reflecting off the snow.

She takes a moment, her gaze sweeping over the expansive view, a smile slowly spreading across her face. "I don't think I've ever been down here. Not from this vantage point. It's beautiful," she murmurs, her awe and appreciation evident.

We stand there, side by side, taking in the serene beauty of a continent so different from the one we had just left.

Reaching into the saddle bag, I pull out a giant blanket I've charmed to emit heat and wrap it around Rose while I grab our picnic fixings and spread it out. Her mom's famous recipe for tater tot casserole, heated to perfection, as well as Rose's favorite chocolate-covered strawberries.

She squeals in delight when she finds them amongst the assortment of dishes. Settling onto another blanket, Rose nestles between my thighs, much like she did on our first date.

"I love your surprises." She reclines into me.

"And now we'll get eternity to have them."

I wrap my arms around her, pressing close to her back as she reaches out for a strawberry. Her fingers tremble as the cold air nips at her skin, but she doesn't complain. Instead, she lets out a soft sigh of contentment as she savors the chocolate and fruit. I rest my head on hers, happy to have her in my arms again.

The moment feels suspended in time, as if the realm itself is holding its breath. I can't help but bury my face in her fragrant hair, inhaling the scent of tropical fruit from her shampoo.

Her body fits so perfectly between my thighs, it's as if they were made this way, entwined like the roots of an ancient tree.

"Aren't you afraid?" she asks after several minutes of silence.

There are inherently a lot of risks with ascending. "The unknown can be terrifying, but together we can face anything. I trust in our bond. Nothing—" I pause, "—absolutely nothing can keep me from you. Not life, not death, not the ascension. We're bound together by love and fate, and that's stronger than any of my fears."

For a moment, she doesn't respond. Her fingers still on the stem of her half-eaten strawberry, and her body tenses against mine. Then reluctantly, she speaks in whispered tones. "I wouldn't survive it. Something happening to any of you. I'm terrified."

I tighten my grip around her, pulling her even closer as if I could somehow use my body to shield her from this fear. I don't know what to say. Words seem pointless against the raw honesty of her terror. A sensation of helpless dread fills me with a chill colder than any winter's night.

Suddenly, the valley is too quiet, save for the hushed whispers of her fears echoing in my mind. But I know fear doesn't disappear when ignored; it grows, spreads, consumes. It needs to be faced head-on.

"I know, love," I finally say, my voice a low rumble against her back. She turns around to curl up in my lap, her cheek resting on my chest. "I know you're scared. We all are. But we'll face it head-on. Together. Your fears … they're ours, too. Chaos promised you he'd bring us back if anything happened, though, so that's something we can count on."

A sigh escapes her lips, a soft, tremulous thing that drifts into the space between us. The sun sits high overhead, and she has to squint to look up at me. "It's not him I don't trust," she murmurs into my chest, tracing lazy circles on my skin with her fingers. "I don't think feathers work during ascension. It's an all-or-nothing shot."

She's right, they don't.

The realization hovers there, like a specter: the stakes are higher than ever. One chance, no returns, no safety nets. The thought is chilling.

But he promised. The God of all gods must have that kind of power, right?