Day 45: Lyra’s Journal

The rain kept falling while I slept, and when I woke up, the sky was still gray. I can’t remember the last thing I dreamt—only that the river felt like it was breathing. Vex was there by the river last night, his voice like stones shifting in the water. He said, ‘The silver isn’t a warning. It’s a sign.’ But I don’t know what he meant. My stomach ached from the berries Klyraeon mentioned, and I kept thinking about the Amethyst Furrow. I wanted to find it, but my legs felt heavy, like I’d been walking for days. The fireflies were still drifting past when I sat by the river, and for a moment, I thought I heard Nylyrkon whispering my name. It wasn’t a sound, though. It was a feeling—like the earth remembering me. I don’t know if I’ll ever understand what the river wants, but for now, I’m not scared anymore. I just want to sit by the water and let it carry me.