Keanu
“Why do you need noctis bloom?”
I didn’t have a reason to lie. And honestly, looking at her face, I wasn’t sure I could have managed one if I’d tried. Something about her made the usual deflections feel cheap.
“My sister is sick. A virus she picked up in a place saturated with dark magic. It’s parasitic. Feeds on her powers. The healers said the noctis bloom can cure it, but it has to be prepared properly.”
“Your sister.” She studied me. “You came into a forest full of feral creatures to find a plant for your sister.”
“I’d walk into a volcano for my sister.”
“That’s either very brave or very stupid.”
“Historically, it’s been both.”
The corner of her mouth twitched.
“You found a sprout, not a bloom,” she said. “The noctis needs at least three seasons of undisturbed growth bef
