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The spider that had led them settled near the cave entrance, its legs tucked underneath it like a guard dog. Other spiders filtered in, taking up positions around the edges of the cave. Their presence should have been terrifying, but something about the way they arranged themselves felt more protective.

Within minutes, Kal had a small fire going. The moss burned with a blue-tinted flame, radiating a warmth that seemed to seepinto her bones. She sighed as steam began rising from their wet clothes while they huddled close to the heat.

But it wasn’t enough. The cave’s warmth couldn’t reach the deep cold that had settled into her core. Her teeth started chattering again. Both boys looked at her and then at each other, some silent communication passing between them.

“Come here,” Tor said softly, settling back against a moss-covered wall.

She found herself tucked between them. The contrast was striking. Kal burned like a fever while Tor’s heat was deeper, steadier, radiating from the black armor that now covered so much of him. She turned instinctively toward that steady warmth, pressing closer to Tor’s side.

He tensed and she started to pull away, but his arm came around her, holding her in place.

“It’s okay,” he murmured with a smile, the words rough but gentle. “I won’t hurt you.”

“I know.” She surprised herself with how much she meant it. “You don’t scare me anymore.”

Slowly, hesitantly, she reached out to trace the patterns in his armored skin. The black plates shifted under her touch, smooth and warm. They reminded her of snake skin but harder. Each one fit perfectly against the others, creating a seamless protection that still somehow moved like living tissue.

Kal draped his arm over her shoulders, adding his heat to their little cocoon of warmth.

The moss fire crackled softly, its blue flames casting dancing shadows on the cave walls. The spiders clicked quietly among themselves, a sound that was becoming almost soothing.

Her eyes grew heavy as the warmth finally began to chase away the bone-deep cold. She felt safe here, surrounded by boys and the strange guardian spiders, and slowly she slid into sleep.

14

Lila’s eyes fluttered open to the dimly lit cave interior, the rock walls still pulsing with that strange bioluminescent glow. Her muscles ached as she pushed herself up from the cold stone floor. The spiders were still there, hunkered down like they were on guard.

“You okay?” Kal asked.

She turned and found both boys watching her.

“I think so.” She stood carefully, biting back a groan as she stretched. “How long was I out?”

“Not long,” Tor answered, already moving to follow the spiders. “Sorry, but we should keep moving.”

The tunnel system stretched before them. The walls glittered with strange crystalline formations that gave off light, and in places, the ceiling soared so high it disappeared into darkness. The air was cool and damp, carrying an unfamiliar mineral scent.

They hadn’t gone far when they encountered their first obstacle—a section where the tunnel floor had partially collapsed, creating a treacherous chasm they needed to cross. The boys moved toward it with practiced ease, but she hesitated.

“Here,” Kal said, extending his hand. “The rocks are slippery, but there are good footholds if you know where to look.” He pointed out several stable-looking outcroppings. “Step where we step.”

She grabbed his hand, and together they picked their way across the gap, Tor waiting on the other side to help her over the final stretch. As she landed, her foot slipped slightly on the smooth stone, and both boys steadied her with quick, careful movements.

“Thanks,” she said, brushing dust from her hands.

“You’re welcome,” Kal said with a slight smile as he ducked under a low-hanging stalactite. “Watch your head… these edges are sharp.”

As they navigated deeper into the tunnel system, Lila’s curiosity got the better of her.

“So,” she said as she stepped over a jutting piece of rock, “you two grew up here? On this planet?”

Kal glanced back at her. “Sort of. We were really young when we came here. I was maybe three? Tor was younger.”

Tor held up two fingers and then added another half, his movements precise. She noticed how he kept his eyes on the spiders ahead, and they seemed to adjust their path whenever his gaze lingered in a particular direction. She watched his throat, where the black armoring looked particularly dense, and wondered if it hurt him to speak.

“The southern continent’s different from here,” Kal continued, and she looked back at him. “Warmer. More settled. The caves there aren’t like these.” He gestured to the crystalline formations that seemed to pulse with their own inner light. “And the krevasta… they’re not like this there either.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

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