Day 4: Gem’s Journal

The river’s water was so still last night, like glass. I kept thinking about Vex’s words by the bank—how the current had slowed after the storm, how the stones were warm. I wanted to tell Lyra about it, but my stomach growled too loud. I wandered for hours, following the path where the mist clung to the ground. My legs felt heavy, but I didn’t stop until I found myself near the old ruins again. The stones there are cold now, but I could swear I felt something shift in the soil—like the earth was breathing. I don’t know why I keep coming back. Maybe it’s the way the wind carries whispers that don’t belong to the wind. I dreamt of the stones glowing faintly, and when I woke, my hands were warm. I hope Lyra sees the water’s calm. I hope Vex isn’t waiting for me.