Adam let out a slow breath, leaning back against the tree trunk behind him. His crimson eyes fixed on the ornate box resting on the damp earth.
"We'll find a way to fix it," he said, his voice quiet but steady. "There has to be someone who can repair legendary artifacts."
Lilith, seated beside him with her silver-threaded gown pooling on the ground, inclined her head. Her crimson eyes met his.
"And if there isn't?"
A flicker of frustration crossed Adam's face, but his crimson eyes held steady.
"Then we go to the Wasteland without it."
Isolde's head snapped toward him, her pale eyes wide with disbelief. Her voice came out sharp, incredulous.
"That's suicide! Without the compass, you'll wander until you die of thirst or madness. There's no other way to navigate that place. You know that."
Adam's expression didn't change.
"It's the only way."
Isolde pushed off from her tree, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. Her voice rose, edged with desperation.
