= Amara =
We followed the delta road, toward the heart of the square. Caryl stuck close to my side, her presence a quiet, anxious anchor. I could feel it—the way her shoulders tensed every time someone passed too close, the way her steps faltered just slightly when the crowd shifted, the way her gaze flicked constantly from corner to corner, cataloging faces, gestures, anything that might signal danger. She was on high alert, and even though she tried to mask it, the worry clung to her like a second skin.
“A-are you okay, Luna?” she whispered, her voice trembling just enough to betray her fear. It was barely audible over the hum of the morning market, over the chatter of townsfolk going about their day.
I didn’t hesitate. There was no point in pretending, no use in cloaking the truth in
