CHAPTER 71: ROOTMILK (1)

Deeper into the cave, Yoa and Nova sat comfortably in one of the alcoves. It was big enough to fit them both, and the ground and cavernous walls were smooth. There had even been some animal hide there that Nova assumed correctly was Yoa’s from previous times he’d stayed here. This wasn’t one of his hideouts, as others could access it too if they dared climb down the treacherous path leading beyond the waterfall.

Unsurprisingly, not many did. Nova hadn’t paid attention to the route Yoa initially took to get them here, but he was capable of many things.

Nova’s gaze swept over the cave once more, a place awash with soft colours and scattered light, the cascading waterfall’s usual thunderous roar a distant, soothing rush. The walls surrounding them shimmered like glitter hairspray and, in certain lights, a sheen of blue. Nova not so subtly swiped her finger along the specks of light on the wall, inspecting it and discovering it would not rub off on her fingers.

Yoa chuckled from where his huge torso leaned up against the wall, his legs sprawled out in front of him, watching Nova stare at everything in wonder. "It is almost like this is your first time inside a cave."

Nova blushed, turning around to face him. Even while sitting, Yoa’s head was the same height as her chest. "Well, it is," she said, shrugging. "Unless you count those fake rock walls at the zoo."

His brow lifted in amusement. "Zoo?"

She waved a hand. "Never mind. It’s... different. This place feels alive." She wasn’t entirely sure how Yoa would feel listening to her describe what a Zoo is and how people paid to see animals in enclosures and not living freely in the wild.

Yoa tilted his head, his gaze softening. "Because it is. The island watches all."

Nova hesitated, her fingers brushing the glowing rock beside her. "That sounds a little creepy," she admitted, looking back at him.

Yoa smirked. "It does not creep on our lives," he added in amusement.

Nova shrugged. "Hey now, how would I know?" She waved her hand at the rock like it might be a camera, then shook her head.

Yoa shook his head and then winced.

Nova paused her little exploration, concern quickly replacing curiosity as she returned to Yoa’s side and knelt beside him. Her gaze dropped to the gash running up one side of his torso, her frown deepening. It needed tending to; she couldn’t just leave it as Yoa suggested.

He might have healed quickly, but the wound was deep. Nova had no idea how long it would take to recover naturally. There were other cuts and bruises, too, one nasty purple bruise glaring back at her from his other side. She wasn’t sure if it was a cracked rib or just severely bruised.

And yet he’d carried her. With all this.

Then, tried to initiate getting intimate?!

Nova shook her head in disbelief, a flush creeping across her cheeks. Honestly, this brute of a man. She cupped his cheek and could see the amusement twinkling in those golden-red eyes like he could hear her thoughts. Maybe he could feel her disbelief through the bond? She wasn’t entirely sure how it worked yet as they hadn’t ’sealed’ the bond entirely.

"Surely there is something I can do to help?" Nova whispered, eyes boring into his, imploring him to let her help.

This was all because of her, after all. She hated seeing him in pain and could feel it throbbing through some invisible thread. It was weak and like a dim light needing power to make it brighten. But it was still there, and she knew it had to be the Serakai bond.

The Nokari bond that had been forced on her by Vulcan still pecked at her chest; even if neither of them could see anything happening to the mark, it was still there like an annoying, distant reminder that she was connected to the eagle shifter. Nova rid her thoughts of the man from her mind, especially while she gazed at this beastly man who had swept into Silver Feather lands like a tornado and tore through everything that stood between them without hesitation just to reach her.

Nova hated the idea of being a damsel in distress, but how he’d taken control and fought for her was the hottest thing she’d ever seen and the most incredible and selfless thing anyone had ever done for her in her life.

"I would rather you stay by my side," Yoa said softly, his hand finding hers and squeezing. "That also makes me feel better."

Nova’s heart fluttered at his words, and then she narrowed her eyes. "You mean to say there is something I can do though?"

Yoa didn’t answer and even leaned forward, grimacing slightly to capture her lips in his. Nova sighed into the softness of his lips, and her mind momentarily froze. His scent wrapped around her, calming her racing heart and muscles. The moment she leaned on him, though, he tensed slightly, almost imperceptibly.

But Nova was so attuned to him and his pain, she noticed. Just like that, the spell he’d sneakily cast over her shattered. She pulled back and wordlessly gave him a look.

Yoa released a breath and rested the back of his head against the wall again, eyes trained on her. It almost looked like he was pouting, but then she noticed the subtle pinching of his brows as he watched her with quiet intensity. "There is a way to help, but it is dangerous."

"More dangerous than facing Vulcan?" Nova asked, quirking her brow and trying to ease the growing trepidation and confusion at his words.

This time, it was Yoa who gave her a look. "I am more than happy to wait here with you." When Nova wouldn’t respond and kept staring at him, almost begging with those starry blue eyes, Yoa had to fight his urges to cave to her every whim and added desperately, "I’ve just got you back, Nova. I need you by my side."

Nova sighed, shoulders sagging at seeing his expression as her knees sank more into the rock beneath them. But she couldn’t just sit idly by him as his wound was literally there looking all gooey, still fresh. "And I can’t stand seeing you in pain," she said softly. "Let me do whatever I can to help you. Please."

The muscle in Yoa’s jaw ticked as he watched her.

"We’re a team, right?" Nova added, her eyes burning with determination.

Yoa released a breath, caving into her whims. "Fine."

Nova almost jumped on the spot and clapped her hands together in happiness, but she resisted the urge, especially as she felt Yoa’s concern and fear for her wellbeing radiating through the dull bond.

"Devo estar louco. To let you do this..." Yoa raked his fingers through his tangled hair, brows furrowing together more firmly.

Nova reached forward and brought his hand to her lips, noting the raw skin of his knuckles split from punching Vulcan repeatedly. She kissed his knuckle as a small spear shot through her heart at the memory and the wounds he now had because of her.

"Let me do this." Whatever this was. "How hard can it be?"

Yoa looked up at her. "I just don’t want you to get hurt," he sighed, then nuzzled his head against her cheek. It was definitely a cat thing—one he’d picked up since she’d been missing, not that she minded at all. She was sure it had to do with comforting them both and probably putting his scent on her in a subtle way.

Nova rested her forehead against his. Fingers interlaced as they stared deeply at each other for a few moments, breathing each other in. "You wouldn’t cave in so easily if it was really that hard," she said softly.

The subtle widening of his eyes was all the evidence she needed to confidently go through with whatever she needed to do to help him. "So, believe in me," she added, squeezing his fingers gently.

Yoa squeezed them back with another sigh and nodded. Nova loved how fiercely protective he was of her. Even now, he was willing to endure his wounds longer than necessary just to keep her out of harm’s way. Nova internally shook her head. Silly cat. She wanted to do this for him.

Reluctantly, Yoa explained to her what she needed to do. "The island produces a substance that can aid in healing. Only a few know of it from stories left behind by our ancestors. Nobody really knows where to find it... Unless they’ve explored every inch of the island like I have," Yoa noted smugly.

Nova’s lips quirked up at that.

"Rootmilk," Yoa added, making Nova frown at the term.

"It is a sap and, at the moment, can only be found in these caves. It runs down the walls."

"Rootmilk," Nova murmured, glancing behind her, already trying to locate it for him from where she knelt.

What was so hard about getting it?