Chapter 59: Chapter 59 | Cleitor

The sun was nearly gone, a dark line smudged against the horizon, casting the world in fading hues of orange and violet. Jayla stood beside me, her gaze distant, fixed on the dying light as if searching for something beyond it.

"Jayla?" I asked softly, reaching out to hold her hand. Her fingers were warm, but tense, her grip uncertain. She didn't turn to look at me, only nodded slightly.

"Yeah… just a little shaken." Her voice was barely above a whisper, as though she were speaking more to herself than to me. "But we shouldn't let Lyra's words get to us." Her tone wavered, the strength in her words not quite matching the doubt in her eyes.

A faint pulse emanated from my pocket, and I felt the comforting weight of the Luminara—the strange, ancient warmth that vibrated with a life of its own. I pulled it out, watching as its light shimmered softly in the twilight, both soothing and unsettling.