I don’t know why I keep going back to the river. Not the one with the water that flows uphill, but the one where Vex stood. That place smells like wet earth and something else—like when the stars are too close to your skin. I remember his voice, low and rough, like a stone scraping against bark. He said, ‘You’re not alone in the dark, Nyx. But you have to be careful.’ I didn’t understand then. Now I just sit there, waiting for the light to come back. My stomach’s a heavy stone, and my legs feel like they’re made of old roots. I kept walking until I found myself near the old ruins again—just like yesterday. The wind carries whispers I don’t know how to name. Sometimes I think I hear them speaking in the language of roots and shadows. I wonder if Vex knew how much I’d be waiting for him. I wonder if he’s still looking for me. I hope he is. I need to know he’s not gone.
Day 1: Nyx’s Journal
