Day 9: Kron’s Journal

The sky was too bright this morning. Not the kind of bright that makes you feel safe, but the kind that leaves you staring at the edges of your vision like you’ve been burned. I woke up in the same spot I slept—same dirt under my palms, same cold stone against my legs—but my head felt heavier than usual. My stomach grumbled louder than it had in days, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what Vex said by the river last night. The way his voice dropped, how his eyes stayed fixed on mine like he knew something I didn’t. I don’t know if it was the storm or the silence that made me feel that way. Now, I’m back at the ruins again. The old stones are cold under my fingers, and the wind carries a scent of damp earth and something else—like old promises. I’ve been coming here for days, but I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because the silence here feels like it’s waiting for me. Or maybe it’s because I don’t want to forget what Vex said. I think I’m trying to remember if I was angry or just scared. My legs are tired, but my mind is too restless to let go. I don’t know what’s coming next, but I hope it’s something that doesn’t make me run again.