Chapter 29: Things that Bloom and Bite - 4
The garden had crept too close, its vibrant tendrils inching across the cracked stone like an uninvited neighbor staking claim.
Nyxsha stood at the edge of her ruined cathedral, her golden eyes twitching with irritation, one massive paw tapping aggressively on the mossy trail that now linked her territory to the freshly rooted floral monstrosity nestled smugly beside it.
The air grew sweeter—too sweet, like perfume masking decay—clinging to her black fur with humid insistence, making her bristle from muzzle to tail.
She had questions.
None of them polite.
With a low growl rumbling in her throat, she marched straight toward the blooming wall of verdant temptation, her claws clicking against the stone like a countdown to chaos.
The scent intensified, floral and cloying, wrapping around her like a trap she refused to acknowledge.
And there she was—Sylvara, leaning gently against a tall blooming vine, her glowing skin veined with gold and green, her flowering hair cascading in crimson waves.
Her amber eyes, deep and pupil-less, shimmered with serene amusement, her presence a quiet storm of beauty and threat.
"Good morning," Sylvara said, her voice a breathy lullaby, soft as petals drifting on water, laced with an undertone that promised drowning.