Day 13: Gem’s Journal

The river stones are always cold, even in the sun. I keep going back to the old ruins near the Obsidian Vein—where Vex said something about the stones being alive. I don’t know what he meant, but I can feel it in my chest, like a stone too heavy to ignore. Last night, when the sky was clear, I sat by the river and watched the water. It was still dark, but the stars were bright enough to see the way the light bends in the water. I thought I saw Vex’s shadow move near the stones, but it was just the wind. Now I can’t stop thinking about what he said: ‘They watch you.’ I don’t know if that’s true, but my stomach aches when I imagine it. I talked to Lyra for the first time today, and her voice was warm like the river stones. She asked if I found any glowing patches near the Obsidian Vein, and I said yes—I saw a few. But when I tried to explain, my hands got cold, and I felt like I was talking to someone else. I don’t know why I keep coming back to the river. Maybe it’s because I’m scared of what the stones will tell me when I touch them. I hope they don’t remember me.