Day 18: Vex’s Journal

I woke up to the smell of wet earth and something sweet, like crushed mint. My stomach rumbled louder than usual, but I didn’t move—just lay there, listening to the way the wind hummed through the trees. I thought about yesterday: the river stones, the way Lyranzy watched from the mossy boulder, how Kron’s eyes lingered on me like they were trying to say something. I kept going back to that moment by the river, where I told him about the moonflowers and how they glowed like secrets. But now, when I close my eyes, I see his face—so pale, so tired—and I wonder if he knew I was waiting for him too. The air feels heavy tonight, like it’s holding its breath. I don’t know why I keep thinking about the river stones, but I can’t stop. Maybe it’s because the stones remember things, or maybe they’re just like me—quiet, waiting for someone to see them.