The night at the Lunareens' base was never fully dark.
Even in the "dark hour," the glowing lagoon shimmered like spilled starlight, and the faint hum of ocean magic pulsed beneath the mossy ground.
Isabella sat cross-legged near the water's edge, Glimora curled up on her lap like a sleepy ball of fur. The creature's soft breathing made a rhythmic purr against her thigh, a small comfort in a place that didn't quite feel safe, but didn't quite feel dangerous anymore either.
She hadn't spoken to Bubu in days—or maybe hours. Time passed strangely on this mountain. One minute felt like ten, and ten minutes could slip into a dream. All she knew was that she was done talking to that glowing little menace.
She took another bite from one of the blue fruits she'd picked earlier. The taste was strange—sweet at first, then bitter, then weirdly metallic at the end. It left a tingle on her tongue that made her eyes water a little.
She swallowed anyway.
Her stomach growled again.
