11.

Upon arriving, all the deer looked curiously at Virindia’s companion, and the few who recognized her gave a respectful bow.

“Virindia!” shouted Quinihil’s right hand. “Hurry, there’s little time left!”
The boy ran despite knowing he could do nothing for his father.

Upon entering, Virindia quickly noticed the dim lighting in which the room remained. The shadows deepened the features of the illness that afflicted Quinihil. Probably never before had he felt so powerless. He had wasted the little time he had left with his father searching for a cure he never found, and that perhaps didn’t even exist. He felt frustrated like anyone who discovers that their presence is utterly insignificant in the chaos of fate, and that after all, they are just another speck of dust.

Virindia felt suffocated and nearly ignored the presence of the girl beside him. At that moment, he realized the abrupt, sepulchral silence coming from her. She stood in a corner of the room, almost consumed by the shadows, her face empty of expression.

“I cannot imagine how much I regret this, Father. I beg you to forgive me in another life. I have failed you,” Virindia said, falling to his knees on the floor.

Quinihil moved his head in what seemed an attempt to answer, but he couldn’t, only making a gesture of defeat. Perhaps this was also his last chance.

“Perhaps we should leave,” Aurora proposed nervously, not even able to look Virindia in the eyes. She must have felt guilty. After all, Quinihil’s state wasn’t caused by time or divine justice but simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time—something unpredictable, a word, a phrase, a single offense that ended everything. Chance, fate, synonyms in the end.

Virindia raised his gaze to her when the young woman, still not meeting his eyes, offered him her hand. The boy accepted it, unsure if he did so fully aware that they should leave his dying father’s side, but he couldn’t refuse the chance to quell that persistent doubt.

How would her touch feel?

“Let him rest. There is a place I want to show you,” murmured Aurora, leading him out of the room where Quinihil lay.

“What place?” Virindia asked, trying to divert his attention from what was happening in the room he had just left his back to.