Beyond A Queen's Whisper

Chapter Thirty Two

Ama and Cassie walked back to the campsite hand in hand, the soft crunch of leaves beneath their feet the only sound between them for a while. Ama felt a wave of relief washing over her now that Cassie was back at her side. The tension that had gripped her chest earlier loosened, her steps feeling lighter with each passing moment. She stole a glance at Cassie, grateful to have her there after everything they had been through.

Cassie, however, was lost in thought, her brow furrowed slightly. She wasn't entirely annoyed—more frustrated, really. She had been so close. Just a little more time, and she could have grabbed what she needed before anyone came looking for her. Now, she'd have to wait until morning and hope no one noticed when she slipped off to retrieve it. Silently, she kept that to herself, squeezing Ama's hand gently, if only to offer some comfort. Ama needed her right now, and that was more important.

As they approached the campsite, the firelight flickered ahead, and they spotted Vidi lying flat on his back, looking exhausted. Mara knelt beside him, her sharp gaze focused on every inch of his newly transformed human body, poking and prodding as she completed a more thorough medical inspection.

Vidi, of course, wasn't taking it quietly. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Ama and Cassie approaching, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Well, well, well," he teased, his voice light despite his condition. "Look who finally made it back from their little stroll. What were you two doing out there, hmm? Stealing kisses under the trees? Making the most of your time alone?"

Cassie shot him a look that could have wilted a tree. "Really?" she asked flatly, clearly not in the mood for his jokes.

Ama chuckled, more amused than annoyed, though she shook her head at Vidi's antics. "You wish, Vidi."

"Oh, I don't need to wish," he replied with a grin, shifting slightly as Mara poked at his ribs. "I've seen the way you two look at each other. Lovebirds, if I ever saw 'em."

Mara rolled her eyes but didn't comment, her focus still on examining Vidi's body with her practiced hands. She didn't seem in the mood to indulge his playful jabs, though she was clearly accustomed to his banter.

"Hold still," Mara instructed, pressing her fingers against Vidi's abdomen, earning a wince from him. "You're lucky you didn't end up worse off. I told you the transformation would take its toll on your body."

Vidi's face twisted, trying to maintain his usual carefree demeanor but failing to hide the discomfort. "Oh whatever, you just want to poke and prod me for research." he muttered, though his tone was strained. "Add your findings to a fancy new book."

Mara ignored him for a moment, continuing her inspection in silence. Cassie watched the scene unfold, a mixture of amusement and concern playing on her features. As annoying as Vidi could be, his transformation had been a risk, and he wasn't out of the woods yet.

Ama knelt beside Vidi, offering him a reassuring smile. "You'll be fine," she said softly. "Mara's making sure of that."

Vidi's eyes softened at her words, though he winced again as Mara's fingers found another tender spot. He bit back on any complaints, determined to appear stronger than he felt.

After a long pause, Mara finally spoke, her hands pulling back as she gave Vidi one last lookover.

"It's... not as bad as I expected," Mara murmured, mostly to herself, though her voice was loud enough to be heard by the group. Her sharp eyes flickered toward Ama briefly, as if seeking some kind of confirmation.

"Better than being a big ole bird forever, huh?" Vidi attempted to chuckle, though the sound came out strained. His body was clearly still in recovery, the aftereffects of his transformation heavy on him. He winced as Mara's fingers found a particularly tender spot, but he said nothing, refusing to show more weakness.