The world outside the mountain wasn't at all what I had imagined. I expected nothing but jagged rocks and endless caves, a bleak and lifeless place but I was wrong.
The first thing that caught my eye was a massive rock formation in the center of what I had started calling "Rock Villa." But it wasn't just a rock, it was a statue, a towering figure carved into the shape of a half-human, half-horse. Like a mermaid, but with horse legs instead of a tail.
I stared at it, trying to make sense of the design, maybe it was a tribute to some long-forgotten hero, or maybe the sculptor just got confused halfway through. Either way, it was impressive.
The village itself was built around the statue, its homes and market stalls carved from stone. It was more than just livable, it was thriving. People bustled about, talking, laughing, trading and they were all strikingly beautiful, both men and women. At this point, I had accepted that this realm had some kind of beauty standard I would never fully understand.
"Luna, wait up!"
Liam's voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to see him and Noah catching up to me, they slowed once they reached my side, falling into step as we made our way through the village.
Children ran past us, their laughter filling the air, some stopped to glance in our direction, curiosity flickering in their eyes before they dashed off again. The adults, on the other hand, barely spared us a glance, too occupied with their work to care about newcomers.
"Liam!"
A voice, warm and familiar to him but foreign to me, rang out through the crowd.
I barely had time to process what was happening before a beautiful woman threw herself into Liam's arms, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
Liam stiffened instantly, his hands hovered for a second before he reluctantly placed them on her back, a touch so brief it was almost dismissive. When she finally pulled away, his expression was neutral.
"Bella," he said, his tone unreadable.
I folded my arms, watching the scene unfold.
Of course, Liam had someone waiting for him.
I exhaled slowly, pushing the thought aside. Not my business, not my problem but still… moping Liam having an admirer felt like a plot twist I wasn't prepared for.
Bella must have caught the amused look on my face because she turned to me with a wary expression.
Before the tension could thicken, a voice interrupted.
"Oh, don't mind those two."
The calm, elegant voice startled me, and I nearly jumped. Turning, I found Liam's mom standing there, watching me with a knowing look.
I placed a hand over my chest, frowning. "Could you not sneak up on people like that?"
Liam's mom merely smiled, offering no apology.
Before I could say more, movement behind Bella caught my eye. My breath hitched as a familiar figure emerged from the crowd.
Blond hair, relaxed posture, that same carefree expression.
"Stone?"
I took a step back, my stomach twisting.
Liam frowned, glancing between us. "You know him?"
My hands clenched at my sides. "Yeah, he kidnapped me."
Stone if that was even his real name, rubbed the back of his neck, offering me a sheepish smile. "Uh… yeah, sorry about that."
"You would've helped, but…?" I prompted, arms crossed.
"He was on a mission," Liam's mom cut in smoothly.
Liam's eyes darkened. "Mom, you sent him to spy on us, didn't you?"
"Yeah, how do I keep tabs on you and your pa"
Liam scoffed, muttering something under his breath about "terrible spies" and stalked past her.
Stone gave me a small, apologetic shrug before following after them.
I exhaled, rubbing my temples. This day just kept getting weirder.