Chapter 3

Thunder rattled the windowpanes as sheets of rain lashed against the cabin, blurring the world beyond its safety—almost drowning out Kiri's shallow, labored breaths. Monte's heart pounded, his eyes fixed on Kiri's trembling form. Her flushed cheeks burned with fever, standing out against her pale skin—her condition filled him with dread.

"Lyall!" he bellowed into the crackling vidphone, desperation edging his deep voice. "I have an injured human female here. I thought I did everything right, but her condition is worsening."

Static crackled, the vidscreen flickered before an error timer popped up, his connection growing faint. "...the valmora bloom...summit..." Lyall's words cut in and out.

Monte strained to catch every fragmented syllable while his mind raced as he tried to process what the healer was trying to tell him.

He had seen valmora blooms before—they were known for their powerful healing properties—but they only grew in the most treacherous locations.

Could he make it to the summit in this storm?

And even if he did, could he find the bloom and get back in time to save Kiri?

But he had no other choice. He couldn't let Kiri die, not after all she had been through. She didn't deserve it, and there was something about her that intrigued him…

The last thing he wanted was to be responsible for the death of one of the first humans on Monster Island.

If he dared brave the tempest and retrieve the mystical flower from the peak, its essence could brew a curative tea—Kiri's only hope.

The vidcall died with an ominous beep. Gritting his teeth, Monte tossed the vidphone aside, as it clanked onto the table and surged to his hooved feet. If Lyall wasn't going to venture to his side of the lake, then he would go find this valmora bloom.

No raging storm would keep him from helping Kiri.

He lumbered to her bedside, drinking in her delicate features—the flutter of her lashes, the sheen of sweat along her brow. "Stay strong, brave one," he rumbled, brushing her stray hair from her clammy forehead. "I promise, I'll return to you with a cure."

Kiri's eyes fluttered open and were now dull and unfocused. The whites were tinged with red from fever, but even so, they seemed to light up with adoration as they looked at Monte. Even sick, she took his breath away. Her trembling fingers curled around his wrist as she whispered, "Be careful."

"Always." A flash of lightning and deafening thunderclap split the air, its echoes reverberating through him—too close for comfort.

With a resolute nod, he swept toward the door—grabbing his night gear along the way—and flung it open, bracing himself against the torrent.

Rain lashed in bitter sheets, the howling wind threatening to sweep Monte's powerful frame off his hooves. He squinted through the deluge, fumbling for the heavy-duty flashlight.

With a flick of his thumb, a piercing beam cut through the inky blackness. Monte planted one foot forward, horns lowered as he leaned into the gale. Every step was a battle—the mud sucked at his hooves, branches whipped his face, and lightning cracked across the sky, the roar of thunder shaking the very earth.

He pressed onward, haunches bunching as he forced his way up the treacherous incline. The path ahead disappeared in swirling cloud-cover, obscuring any sense of direction. It was his intimate knowledge of his land, and its surroundings, that kept him on the right path.

Only the valmora's life-giving essence drove Monte up that accursed mountain—especially on a night like tonight. He would've rather remained within the confined safe.

A blinding burst of lightning forked down, the blast whiting out his vision for a heart-stopping moment. When his sight cleared, the flashlight's beam revealed the skeletal claws of a deadfall tree, surrounded by bramble bushes, their branches reaching out like gnarled fingers, eager to ensnare him.

Monte swung the flashlight in a wide arc, illuminating the way forward. Baring his teeth in a feral snarl, he dug his hooves into the mud and threw himself over it in one gigantic leap.

Heaving deeply, finally, after what felt like hours of battling nature itself, Monte arrived at the summit. Without a moment to waste, he scanned the peak with his flashlight as lightning flashed above, searching for the healing flower that Kiri needed desperately.

His heart sank as he saw that there were no valmora blooms anywhere in sight—they must have been swept away by the raging storm or recently used by the neighboring monsters for their own ailments.

He refused to give up. There had to be more along the cliffside, facing the lake and hidden in the shadows, from any direct sunlight—or any other light source with the naked eye.

Undeterred, he plowed ahead, hooves finding scant purchase on the treacherous terrain. The craggy incline taunted him, each upward footfall requiring a punishing expenditure of effort. Rivulets of rainwater streamed from his brow, stinging his eyes.

As Monte trudged through the thick fog, his flashlight beam struggled to pierce through the dense mist. The dampness soaked his fur, leaving it heavy and matted against his skin.

There—a faint glimpse of something through the gloom. He angled the wavering beam toward the indistinct shape, revealing a small patch of bright blue amidst the dull rocks.

The valmora!

With a victorious shout, Monte scampered in its direction, each step a struggle. As he drew closer, the frail petals fluttered open in a dazzling display, a halo of vibrant fuchsia surrounding the fragile beauty.

With painstaking care, he extended one hand, fingers outstretched in reverence. The flower's pulsing energies warmed his pads as he gently cupped the precious bloom.

He'd finally found it. The flower with amazing healing powers capable of helping Kiri.

He carefully plucked a few from their precarious perch, leaving enough for others in great need. If Kiri required more, he knew where to find them. He prayed to the Moon Goddess that he would have enough.

Monte let out a raspy howl of victory as he hugged the valmora"s mystical essence to his chest. Turning on his hoofed heel, he fixed his sights on the descent, with a newfound strength buoying his spirit.

Monte turned his broad back to the howling winds, cradling the precious valmora bloom against his tawny chest. The delicate petals shimmered with ethereal light, illuminating his path through the shrouding mists.

The storm howled through the trees, pelting him with piercing raindrops that felt like pin pricks against his skin. Each flash of lightning illuminated the dark sky, followed by a deafening crash of thunder that made him shudder. With every step, his hooves sunk deeper into the muddy ground, making it a struggle to move forward as he tried to remain upright on the downward slant. The thick sludge threatened to engulf him as he fought against the relentless storm.

But Monte's burning determination could not be quelled. Not tonight.

With gritted teeth, he leaned into the maelstrom, forging his way down the treacherous slope with only the thoughts of Kiri and how he'd left her, her feverish brow and labored breaths, propelling him onward through torment that would have felled lesser beings.

Thankfully, he was a minotaur, and these were his lands.

He refused to fail Kiri. Not on his watch.

The wind whipped fiercely at Monte's shaggy fur, causing him to sway on his hooves. He braced himself, digging his sharp hind claws into the ground and lowering his massive horns in a stubborn stance. He was determined to withstand this raging storm—to be an unmovable force against its destructive power.

As he stumbled through the darkness, her face flashed in his mind—pale and strained, her lips quivering with unspoken words. He could almost feel her small hand clutching his, urging him to keep moving—the same hand that held the valmora blooms against his chest.

It was this image that gave him the strength to push on through his exhaustion.

He'd made a promise to her, and he was determined for it not to be the first one he ever broke.

With a loud thud, Monte burst through the cabin door.

The rain poured down his drenched fur, and thick mud clung to his hooves. He struggled for breath as he tumbled inside, clutching onto the brilliant valmora bloom with one massive fist.

Miraculously, not a single petal was damaged or dirtied despite his chaotic entrance.

Relief washed over the minotaur in a palpable wave as he thrust the door shut on the raging tempest. Kiri's trembling form lay huddled beneath a mound of comforters, light from the fireplace painting her flushed features in a feverish crimson glow.

"Monte?" Her voice, a mere whisper, pierced through the roaring of the storm.

"Back." He crossed over to her side, long strides eating up the distance in a few heartbeats.

"I've found it," he murmured, carefully cradling the rare flower in his callused hands. Its delicate blue and fuchsia petals seemed to shimmer as they caught the flickering firelight, casting an enchanting glow around him.

She let out a deep, exasperated sigh and tilted her head toward him, and yet her eyelids remained closed. A small smile played on her lips, but it was more pain than happy as no words left them.

Wasting no more time, Monte lumbered to the kitchen and grabbed what he needed to prepare the healing tea. He filled the battered kettle and set it over the crackling flames to boil.

He worked in reverent silence, his gaze locked on those luminous petals as he carefully crushed them. The scent that wafted up from them was both sweet and earthy, reminding him of warm summer days in the fields.

With practiced precision, Monte boiled the crushed petals into a potent tea.

As he stirred the concoction and added a pinch of herbs for additional healing properties, Kiri's voice drifted over to him. "What are you doing?"

Monte glanced up at her, taking in how her pale and fragile form had worsened as she remained tucked in beneath the blankets. "Making your medicine."

Kiri gave him a weak smile, her eyes still closed. "That smells good…"

Once the tea was done brewing, Monte poured it into a wooden cup and brought it over to Kiri.

He approached the bed, ears pinned in an uncharacteristic show of tenderness. Kiri lay unnaturally still, her shallow breaths and flushed cheeks evidence of the fever's chokehold. A wave of protectiveness swelled in his barrel chest as he drank in her fragile state.

Lowering himself with exaggerated care, he knelt beside the couch. Up close, he could make out the sheen of sweat along her brow, the flutter of eyelashes against her unnaturally pale skin. His thumb grazed her burning forehead, pushing back damp tendrils in a tender caress.

"Easy now," he rumbled, voice a low rasp of gruff affection. "I've weathered the storm to get you this medical tea."

With deft movements belying his massive frame, he slipped an arm beneath Kiri's shoulders and lifted her into a cradled position. She was a delicate thing, almost weightless against the hard planes of his chest.

Carefully, he guided the mug's rim to her cracked lips. "That's it, brave one. Just take a few sips."

As the valmora"s healing tea touched her parched mouth, its earthy and flowery scent intensified, proof of it working its magic. A tremor cascaded through her slender form as the first few drops trickled down her throat with each ravenous gulp.

Despite this, Monte remained vigilant, ensuring that she could handle it without choking or burning herself in her eagerness.

Despite the discomfort, Kiri managed to drink the entire cup of tea. Monte set the mug aside and gently lowered her back onto the bed. He could feel her body relaxing and her breathing becoming more even.

"Rest now," he whispered, brushing a stray hair away from her face. "You're safe with me."

Kiri's eyes fluttered open, revealing the return of her vivid golden-green hue. She looked up at him with a mixture of gratitude and exhaustion. "Thank you," she breathed out, as she smiled weakly and closed her eyes, already feeling the effects of the potent tea.

"I'll be here," Monte murmured. He shifted his hand from her hair to rest on her shoulder and gave it the gentlest squeeze he could sunder. "I'll be here when you wake, little flower."