Mia's eyes grew heavy as the fire crackled softly beside her. She rubbed her arms against the chill, fighting to stay awake during her watch. But exhaustion finally won. With a quiet sigh, she leaned over and gently shook Alex's shoulder.
"Hey… it's your turn," she whispered.
Alex groaned softly as he sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Got it," he muttered.
Mia curled up beside the fire, closing her eyes—but her thoughts wouldn't let her rest.
Why does Luna always hide her face?
Why won't she tell us where she's from?
She turned slightly toward Alex, who was now fully awake, staring into the flames. "Hey, Alex," she murmured, half-asleep, "why do you think Luna hides her face? And why won't she tell us where she's from?"
Alex shrugged lazily. "I don't know… Maybe you should just take off her mask and find out," he said with a small chuckle. "And if she's not telling us where she's from, maybe she just doesn't trust us yet."
Mia nodded sleepily. "You're probably right…"
She glanced at Luna, who slept quietly across the fire, her mask glinting in the light. For a moment, Mia reached out—tempted to uncover the mystery—but instead, she yawned and leaned against Alex's shoulder.
Within minutes, she drifted into a deep sleep.
Alex smiled faintly, watching the fire flicker. But the warmth and silence soon lulled him too, and before long, his eyes closed.
When he awoke, the stars had shifted overhead. Realizing he'd fallen asleep, Alex quickly nudged Luna awake. "Hey, it's your turn," he whispered.
Luna stirred and nodded. "Alright," she said softly.
As Alex lay back down, Luna stood, glancing at the sleeping faces of her companions. Her gaze lingered on them—especially Mia—for a long moment. Then, silently, she turned and slipped into the fog.
The castle loomed in the distance, dark and silent under the moonlight. Luna moved through the shadows like a ghost, her mask hiding the turmoil in her eyes.
At the great doors, two armored guards stepped aside as she approached the throne room.
Inside, the false king sat upon the throne—a crown gleaming upon his head, though it did not belong to him.
Luna knelt before him. "My lord," she said quietly, "three travelers are heading toward the village and the castle. They say their mission is to discover who brought the monsters into our lands. Earlier tonight, I had to kill one of the creatures myself so they wouldn't suspect me."
The king leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "You did well, Luna. But if these children uncover the truth—that I command the monsters—our plans will crumble. You must stay close to them. Watch them. And report everything they do."
"Yes, my lord," Luna replied, her voice steady—but her hands trembled slightly as she bowed.
"Do not fail me," the king warned. "Or you will share the same fate as those who stand in my way."
Luna lowered her head. "I understand."
Then she turned and vanished into the night once more, her heart heavy with secrets.
Back at the camp, the fire had burned low. Jake stirred from his sleep, rubbing his eyes. He glanced around and frowned.
Luna's place was empty.
He stood slowly, scanning the dark. "Luna?" he whispered, but only silence answered.
A knot formed in his chest. "Where did she go?".