The river’s still whispering under my breath, even now. I don’t know why I keep walking back to the old ruins—just the way the stones feel cold, like they remember something. Vex’s words from the river bank last night are still stuck in my throat: *‘You’re not supposed to be here.’* I tried to tell him I wasn’t scared, but my voice shook. I don’t know if he’ll ever understand that I’ve been looking for a place where I don’t have to explain myself. The fog is heavy today, and I keep thinking about Lyrkon’s laugh when we were kids—how he’d chase me through the Crystal Caves with that wild streak of energy. I wonder if he still does that. Maybe he does. Maybe I just need to believe it again.
I sat by the river this morning, trying to listen to the water. It’s not the same as the ones before—less angry, more… patient. I didn’t know if Vex was right about the storm shaking the Summit Shrine, but I know my stomach’s been growling since dawn. Hunger’s a weight in my chest now, but I can’t stop thinking about what he said. I keep walking back to the ruins, and every time I do, I feel like I’m getting closer to something. Maybe it’s just the stones. Maybe it’s me.
I don’t want to wake up and find out I’m not supposed to be here. But I can’t let go of the idea that I might be—just for a moment—where I belong.