Chapter 329: A Trick of the Light?
Ren dragged her palms flat across the smooth expanse of the black obsidian wall. She stepped methodically down the outer corridor, sliding her hands over the stone, until suddenly, her right hand met no resistance.
Instead of touching solid rock, her fingers plunged straight forward, disappearing up to her wrist.
Ren’s eyes shot wide in wonder. She gasped, quickly withdrawing her hand and staring at her intact fingers. She looked back at the wall. To the naked eye, it looked exactly like solid stone, complete with the same jagged cracks and damp moss as the rest of the corridor. But it was an illusion? A magic trick maybe? A trick of the light?
"Okay, that is really cool," Ren whispered, waving her hand back and forth through the rock.
She quickly glanced up and down both sides of the hallway to ensure no one was watching her. Seeing the coast was clear, she held her breath, closed her eyes, and stepped right through the solid-looking stone.
The air on the other side was instantly colder and thick with the scent of the outer swamp. Ren followed the narrow, rocky path downward until she emerged into the cave.
Vara was there. The white tigress was curled up on a pile of furs, shivering terribly. She was writhing in obvious pain, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. Ren stooped down beside the furs and stared at her for a long moment. Vara looked significantly worse than the last time Ren had seen her. Her pale skin was stretched taut and possessed a sickly, grayish hue, while her swollen belly looked so distended it seemed like it was going to literally pop at any given second.
"Hey," Ren whispered softly.
Vara’s eyes shot open. They were wide, bloodshot, and completely feral. It took a long moment for her fever-addled vision to finally focus in the gloom and register exactly who was crouching beside her.
Her cracked lips pulled back in a weak, aggressive snarl. "You," Vara rasped. "Why are you here? Here to kill me?"
Ren rolled her eyes and got the wooden bowl of steaming fish soup from her inventory.
"I am here to save you, actually," Ren stated flatly. The savory, mouth-watering aroma flooded the damp cave.
Vara glared at her, her nose twitching at the scent, but her pride refused to yield. Her mind raced, unable to conjure a logical reason why Kael’s little pet would ever want to save her life. And even if she did, could a bowl of food really save her from her rotting sickness?
"Get away from me," Vara spat. "I do not want your pity."
Ren let out an exasperated huff. She stood right up, dusting off her knees.
"You know what? Fine," Ren snapped, turning her back on the tiger. "If you want to lay here and die, that is entirely your choice. I have a royal feast to cook and way better things to do with my time anyway. Enjoy the feral madness."
She took two steps toward the exit.
"Wait," Vara croaked, her voice trembling with a mixture of pain and desperation. Ren paused, glancing over her shoulder. Vara swallowed hard, her pride finally cracking. "Can you... can you really help me?"
Ren looked at the wooden bowl in her hands. She honestly wasn’t entirely sure if the soup would have any instant, miraculous effect on her, but she was willing to hope for the best.
"Yes," Ren nodded, projecting confidence. "I am sure this soup can save you."
Vara stared at Ren for a long moment, contemplating her miserable options. She knew the Fox Shaman must have convinced the hairless mammal to come down here. Perhaps it was a favor between friends? She felt horrible, her body rotting from the inside out. She was certain she was going to die anyway. But then she reasoned with herself: if she dies, Vex will suffer the consequences of their pact. So at least there was that silver lining. She had nothing left to lose.
Vara gave a weak, pathetic nod. She was willing to give it a try.
She struggled to sit up, her frail, trembling limbs completely failing her. Ren quickly rushed back to her side, wrapping an arm around the tiger’s sweaty shoulders and helping her slide upward until her back rested against the cool stone wall.
Ren brought the bowl to Vara’s cracked lips.
"Take it slow, it’s really hot," Ren warned her gently.
Vara completely ignored the warning. Driven by intense starvation, she lunged forward and took a greedy gulp.
"Gah!" Vara hissed, recoiling and clutching her throat. "It burns! Are you trying to scorch my mouth?!"
Ren tsked, giving her a judgmental look. "I literally just warned you it was hot. You are the one who didn’t listen."
Ignoring the tiger’s complaints, Ren patiently blew on the surface, feeding Vara the rich, tender swamp-bass and the broth bit by bit until the wooden bowl was completely empty. Vara would never, ever admit it out loud to Kael’s mate, but the soup was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted in her entire life.
However, as the last drop vanished, Vara slumped back against the stone wall. She looked down at her hands.
"I don’t feel any different," Vara sneered, disappointment lacing her tone. "Your food is useless."
Ren tossed the empty bowl aside. "It’s soup, Vara, not magical fairy dust. You have to wait until the nutrients actually hit your bloodstream and digest."
Ding!
[Side Quest Complete: A Mother’s Meal!] [Reward: 50,000 Survival Points deposited into your account!]
Ren inwardly cheered. She was rich! She had the points, the quest was officially over, and she should have left the damp cave immediately to start cooking the feast.
But, unfortunately, her curiosity got the better of her.
Ren crossed her arms, leaning against the cave wall. "So," Ren began casually. "Who got you pregnant?"
Vara let out a dry, raspy chuckle that devolved into a slight cough.