Viktoria POV
I kneel on the cool floor, the faint scent of herbs clinging to my fingers as I squeeze the green leaves tightly in my palms. Sticky juice seeps out between my fingers. My mother brings a small clay bowl filled with water, and kneels beside me.
“Just a little,” I whisper.
She nods and lets a few drops fall into the paste. The mixture hisses faintly as the leaves drink in the water. I rub harder, the pulp thickening, growing warm between my palms until it turns into a gooey green paste that smells tangy and wild. Kaden groans again in pain.
“Argh—it’s getting worse,” he gasps, clutching his stomach. “I think I’m going to die.”
“You’re not going to die,” I snap. “This mold doesn’t have the power to take life. In fact, in winter, it gives life.”
He frowns weakly, peering a
