Chapter44: Sweet Nothings

*Brook* The air at the top of the cliff is cooler, sharper, and the electric hum of magic is only getting stronger the closer we get to the Waters. My body aches from the climb, but standing here, looking out over the rugged, unforgiving terrain below and the shimmering haze ahead that marks Bright Waters, I feel an intense rush of dopamine. We’ve made it this far, and we’ll make it the rest of the way too. I also begin to understand that we’re only going to make it together. For the first time in my life, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. The rest of the group takes a moment to catch their breath, their exhaustion palpable. Maerilee has nearly collapsed against Akin, who has her in a tight grip. After her fall, he’s completely unwilling to leave her side, though he isn’t the only one who feared for her. Still, I know that he needs this more than I do right now, so I don’t let it bother me. River leans against a rock, muttering something about how this journey could hav