Kael smirked faintly this time, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "Of course I am."
Clara’s voice broke. "Kael—!"
He turned to her, his gaze sharp, unyielding. "Look around, Clara. This city is ash. Roofs crawling with corpses. Streets full of hunger. But this—" He jerked his chin toward the glowing forest. "—this is different. That thing isn’t just infection. It’s… control. Maybe even intelligence. If there’s a chance to learn what the hell we’re fighting, I’m not walking away."
Clara’s jaw clenched. She wanted to argue, to scream that he was reckless, insane. But deep inside, a flicker of curiosity burned alongside her fear. She hated that he was right. If this growth was something new—something alive—it could change everything. Maybe even the hunger inside her.
Kael hopped from the r
