The next morning, as Ayan reached Sajek Valley, the world looked unreal—clouds floating beneath the hills, the air cool and mysterious.
And then… he saw her.
She stood near the edge of a cliff, her long hair dancing with the wind. She wore a simple white dress, but something about her felt… different. Like she belonged to the place.
"Are you lost?" she asked, turning toward him.
Ayan blinked. "I could ask you the same."
She smiled softly. "I'm not the one chasing secrets."
That caught him off guard.
"How do you know—"
"I know more than you think," she said.
Her name was Naira.