Day 16: Zhraa’s Journal

I woke up with the river still singing, but my head felt heavy like wet stone. Today’s morning was all about the water—finding Krymell by the river, watching him nod at the market, and wondering if he’d seen the blueberries vanish. I didn’t ask him directly, but when he spoke to me by the river later, his voice was quiet, like the wind carrying whispers from a place no one else can hear. I tried to tell him I saw the water move differently, but he just nodded, and for a moment, it felt like we were both listening to the same sound. Then Nyzzorak showed up, and we talked about the riverbank—how the moss was soft, how the stones felt cold. I don’t know why I keep going back to the old ruins. Maybe it’s because the river tells me something, or maybe it’s just that I’m tired of being alone. The air smells different at night, like old leaves and secrets. I think about Vex’s words, but they’re not loud anymore—they’re just a hum in the quiet. I wonder if the wind stole the blueberries, or if Krymell’s whispers were just the river talking to me. I don’t know if I’ll ever understand.