The soft glow of the mirrored lanterns shimmered across the river's surface, painting their faces in liquid light. For a moment, it felt like the entire world had slowed—suspended between breath and memory.
Samantha leaned against Marcus's arm, the cool air brushing her cheeks, while Kai entertained Nova by making faces reflected in the drifting lights.
Marcus was still half-alert, his hand resting near the dagger at his belt, eyes scanning the crowd below. But even his vigilance had softened under the festival's enchantment. The distant music pulsed like a heartbeat—slow, steady, alive.
Callum stood a few steps away, eyes reflecting twin moons. "The mirrors here," he murmured, voice barely audible over the laughter and music, "do not just reflect light. They retain emotion."
Kai squinted. "You mean they're mood mirrors?"
Samantha chuckled softly. "Only you would describe an ancient fae artifact like a mood ring."
