Kena trudged along the riverbank, her wet boots making squishy sounds with every step she took.
Her jacket dripped water all over the place, and her hair stuck to her face like glue.
She felt cold deep in her bones and mad at everything around her, but she kept walking anyway.
Hope stayed a few steps ahead of her, his iron mask glinting in the odd purple light that filled the sky.
He didn't talk much, and that annoyed her even more than the soggy clothes she wore.
"How far is this town?" she asked, kicking a small rock into the river with a flick of her foot.
It splashed loud when it hit the water, scaring off a strange fish with wings that fluttered away fast.
"Not far," Hope said in his usual calm way. His voice was steady, like nothing ever bothered him at all. "We'll get there soon."
"Soon," Kena muttered under her breath, her tone sharp. "Great. That's super helpful."
She crossed her arms tight over her chest and glared at his back as he walked on.
She didn't like him leading the way one bit, but she didn't know where else to go in this weird place.
The photo tucked in her pocket felt heavy against her leg, like it was counting down the time she had left to figure things out.
The forest around them was full of strange noises that never stopped.
Birds chirped in funny little patterns, not like any birds she'd heard before. Leaves rustled high in the trees even though there was no wind to move them.
Once, Kena saw a flower snap shut on a bug that flew too close, like it was eating it alive. She jumped back quick, her heart thumping hard in her chest.
"This place is creepy," she said, her voice shaky.
"It's Velmoria," Hope replied simply, like that one word explained it all. He didn't even turn his head to look at her.
Kena rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt. "Yeah, I got that part. Thanks, Captain Obvious."
She wanted to yell at him, to let out all the frustration bubbling inside her, but she bit her tongue instead.
He'd saved her from drowning in the river earlier, after all. She owed him something for that, even if she hated admitting it to herself.
They walked on and on for what felt like hours and hours. The river twisted and turned beside them, winding through the land like a snake.
The trees grew thicker as they went, their branches tangling together overhead.
The purple sky slowly faded into a deep, dark blue, and little lights started popping up all around them—flowers glowing bright like tiny lanterns in the dusk.
It was pretty, in a strange sort of way, but Kena wasn't in the mood to enjoy anything right then.
Her stomach growled loud, a deep rumble that echoed in the quiet. Hope stopped walking and turned to face her.
"Hungry?" he asked, his voice still calm as ever.
"What do you think?" Kena snapped back, her patience gone. "I haven't eaten since that stupid candy bar, and that was way before I got cursed with this mess."
She waved a hand at herself, at the wet clothes and the mud caked on her boots.
Hope reached into his long cloak and pulled out a small pouch made of rough cloth. He tossed it to her without a word.
"Eat this," he said.
Kena caught the pouch with both hands and untied the string to peek inside.
There were little round things that looked like berries, but they were a bright, sunny yellow.
She held the pouch up and sniffed them carefully. They smelled sweet, like honey fresh from a beehive.
"Are these safe?" she asked, squinting at him with suspicion.
"Yes," Hope said simply. "They grow here. They'll fill you up."
Kena stared at the berries for a moment, unsure. Then she shrugged and popped one into her mouth.
It burst with flavor as she bit down—sweet and tangy all at once, better than any candy she'd ever tasted back home.
She grabbed a handful and ate them fast, feeling her mood lift just a tiny bit.
"Okay, these are good," she said, wiping her sticky hands on her damp jacket. "Thanks."
Hope nodded once and turned to keep walking. Kena followed behind him, chewing the last berry slowly.
She felt a little better with something in her stomach, but she still didn't trust him completely.
Why was he helping her like this? What was he hiding under that iron mask? She pushed the questions out of her mind for now.
She had bigger problems to deal with—like finding the guy in the photo before it was too late.
The riverbank turned muddy under her feet, and Kena's boots sank deep with every step she took. She groaned loud, the sound full of annoyance.
"This is disgusting," she said, lifting one foot to see the thick mud clinging to her boot. "Can't we walk somewhere else? Anywhere else?"
"No," Hope said firmly. "The river's the safest path. The forest is worse."
"Worse how?" Kena asked, her curiosity spiking.
But before he could answer, her foot caught on a twisted root sticking out of the ground. She tripped hard and fell face-first into the mud with a wet splat.
It splashed everywhere—on her hands, her jacket, even her face. She screamed, loud and angry, her voice cutting through the air.
"Are you kidding me?"
Hope turned back and knelt down beside her in the muck.
"You okay?" he asked.
His voice was still calm, but she thought she saw his eyes crinkle a little behind the mask, like he might be laughing at her.
"Do I look okay?" Kena yelled, her temper flaring.
She sat up slow, wiping mud from her face with the back of her hand. It smelled like wet dirt mixed with something sour, and it made her nose wrinkle.
"This is the worst day ever! Hands down!"
Hope stood up and held out a hand to her. "Come on," he said. "We're almost there."
Kena glared at his outstretched hand for a long second, then grabbed it reluctantly. He pulled her up with ease, like she weighed nothing at all.
She shook off as much mud as she could, flinging it from her hands, and stomped after him with heavy steps.
"You better be right," she muttered under herendath, her voice low and grumpy.
They walked a little longer, the muddy ground squishing beneath their feet. Then, all of a sudden, the trees parted like a curtain opening up.
Kena stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth dropping open in shock. Ahead of them was a town, but it wasn't like any town she'd ever seen before.
The houses were built from rough stone and old wood, with roofs that glowed softly, just like the flowers lighting up the forest.
Lanterns floated in the air all on their own, bobbing up and down like they were alive.
People moved around the streets—some had wings sprouting from their backs, others had tails swishing behind them.
The place was loud and bright and so very strange.
"Is that it?" Kena asked, pointing a muddy finger at the town.
"Yes," Hope said, his tone sure. "That's Elmwick. We'll find answers there."
Kena stared at the town, her heart beating fast in her chest.
It was her first real step toward finding the man in the photo, the one she'd been chasing all this time.
She didn't know what was coming next, didn't know what she'd face in that glowing, noisy place.
But she felt a spark of something deep inside—not hope, not yet, but maybe determination to keep going.
"Okay," she said, her voice steady for the first time in hours. "Let's go."
She took a step forward, her boots sinking into the mud one last time.
Hope followed right behind her, his mask catching the light from the town ahead.
The river sparkled beside them, its water reflecting the glowing roofs and floating lanterns.
It stretched out like a guide, leading them straight into the unknown. Kena squared her shoulders and kept walking, ready or not.
The town of Elmwick waited for them, full of secrets she was determined to uncover, no matter what it took.