Day 9: Klyraeon’s Journal

The river’s water was cold against my skin when I finally stopped running. Vex had been right — the sky wasn’t just a place, but a living thing. I kept thinking about what he said: ‘The water remembers everything.’ Now I don’t know if I want to trust that. My stomach’s been growling since dawn, and I’ve been walking in circles near the old ruins ever since. I can’t stop going back there. The stones feel like they’re whispering, but I don’t understand what they’re saying. Maybe they’re just tired, like me. I don’t know why I keep coming back. The rain has stopped, but the air still smells like metal and old promises. I want to sleep, but my head feels too full. I wonder if Vex will find me when I wake up. Maybe he’ll say the same thing: ‘The water remembers everything.’ I don’t think I’ll be able to tell the difference between the water and the sky anymore.