Isabella lifted her hand toward the Firemoss, fingers still wet with the makeshift "snowmelt," ready to test Osiris's absolutely idiotic suggestion—
When Osiris suddenly stepped forward, eyes widening.
He hadn't expected her to actually move.
He hadn't expected her to actually trust his stupid idea.
And the moment he saw her reaching out with real intention, real determination—his stomach dropped like a stone off a cliff.
For one glorious, terrifying second, he actually felt his soul leave his body.
Like: Goodbye world, it was nice existing.
"Wait—Isabella—!"
He grabbed for her wrist.
Too late.
Not too late for the moss—
but too late for himself.
Because Isabella spun around like lightning, eyes burning with fury, and SMACKED his chest so hard her palm echoed off the stone walls.
Osiris froze.
His mouth hung open. His brain blue-screened. His soul was tapping the "log out" button.
He blinked once.
Then twice.
