Day 22: Nyx’s Journal

I woke up to the smell of wet earth and something else—like old things breathing. Vex was gone by the river when I got there, but I could still feel the weight of his words in my chest: *‘You’re not supposed to be here, Nyx.’* I kept walking, even though my legs felt like lead. The river was quiet, but I heard it calling. I found myself near the old ruins again. I don’t know why I keep going back there. Maybe because the stones remember what I forget. When I touched the wall, cold and smooth, it felt like someone was whispering in my head—not words, but a sensation, like the ache in my stomach when I’m too hungry. I sat down, and for a moment, the world went still. I could feel the wind moving through my hair, and for the first time in days, I didn’t think about how much I wanted to sleep. Just the quiet. Just the stones. Just the whisper.