Luna stepped out of the library—and only then noticed the sky.
It was already dark.
She blinked in surprise, then glanced back at the building as if it might explain itself. Time seemed to move differently in there. Faster. Almost… magically.
She looked down at her hands.
Both of them were still tucked inside the black helmet, for no real reason.
Slowly, Luna pulled one hand free. She lifted her head, scanning the street, half-expecting to see the boy in the cloak somewhere nearby.
Nothing.
Her gaze dropped back to the helmet.
"Fine," she muttered under her breath. "Let's get some use out of you."
She placed it on her head and headed home.
***
She unlocked the door and stepped inside. After changing out of her long yellow dress, she slipped into her green pajamas.
"Better," she said quietly.
The color felt safe.
As she lay back, her thoughts drifted—uninvited.
Green eyes.
A crooked smile.
The way his voice had sounded when he told her to hide her wrist.
Her fingers moved to her bracelet.
Why had it suddenly mattered?
She turned onto her side, staring at the ceiling.
Then, just as quickly, she rolled over and pulled the blanket up.
"I'm exhausted," she murmured.
***
"Luna, where are you?"
"She's not here—we need to search over there!"
Her mother was crying. Her father stood frozen, confused.
"What if she fell into the ravine?" he said desperately. "What are we supposed to do if she did?"
Nila rushed toward the edge to check—just to make sure Luna wasn't there.
"No—!"
Her foot slipped.
Her father grabbed her hand, trying to pull her back up—but his footing gave way, and he fell backward toward the ravine.
"No!" Luna screamed.
She jolted awake, gasping for air.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she grabbed the glass of water beside her bed and drank it in one breath. A sharp pain twisted in her stomach, and she let out a shaky sigh.
Cool air drifted into the room through the window.
Luna stood and walked toward it, frowning slightly.
She took a deep breath and whispered to herself,
"Did I leave the window open last night?"
She told herself that this constant pain shouldn't be the reason she stayed inside all the time.
She picked up her book and slipped into a light blue dress. The sleeves fell all the way to her wrists, covering them completely. She'd chosen it on purpose, then closed the door.
After a second, she paused.
She turned back, grabbed Leo's helmet, and hurried down the stairs two at a time, lightly tapping on it as she went. She reached the door, opened it—
—and froze.
Leo was standing right there, worry written all over his face.
"Are you okay?" he asked immediately.
Luna scratched the back of her head and laughed.
"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Are you sure?" Leo said.
For a moment, Luna remembered her nightmare from that morning—her mother's face as she called out, her father slipping as he tried to save someone.
She clenched her fist.
Then she held the helmet out toward him.
"By the way… this is yours. I'm coming to the library today too, so I tried to wear long sleeves."
Leo gave his usual crooked smile, but this time there was something sad mixed into it.
"Well?" Luna said. "Aren't you going to take it?"
Leo blinked, then nodded.
"Oh—yeah. Thanks."
Then Luna walked into the library beside Leo.
She chose a quiet table near the fantasy section and sat down, opening her book. The long sleeves of her pale blue vintage dress slipped down naturally, resting against her wrists.
She had barely started reading when a voice spoke up.
"Wait—did you come here with Leo?"
Luna looked up.
The girl standing there had light freckles scattered across her cheeks and nose, and a slightly raised bridge that made her face look unusual—in a good way. Something about her stood out.
"Uh… yeah," Luna said. "Why?"
The girl stared past her for a second, clearly looking at Leo.
"I can't believe it."
"Believe what?" Luna asked.
The girl lowered her voice.
"That you came with *him*."
Luna frowned. "What's the big deal?"
The girl rolled her eyes.
"Everyone's like that about him."
"Like what?" Luna asked.
"Crushing," the girl said simply. "I mean—look at him."
Luna glanced toward Leo behind the desk.
"He's twenty-one, right? Why does he still work at his mom's library?"
The girl shrugged.
"Because his mom wants him here. Says more girls sign up when he's around."
Luna frowned.
"That's… kind of weird."
"Exactly," the girl said. "And you know what's worse?"
"What?"
"He's never even said hi to me."
Luna looked surprised.
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
That didn't sit right with Luna.
She stood up and walked toward the shelves, scanning the spines. One book caught her eye—but it was too high.
She reached up.
Didn't make it.
Then—
"I'll get it."
Leo's voice came from behind her.
He stepped closer, lifting his arm past her shoulder to grab the book.
Luna's eyes widened.
As his sleeve shifted, a flash of red appeared beneath it—and in that instant, a darkness ignited inside Luna.