By midday, the sky had lost the morning’s fragile blue and gone back to its usual hard white — the kind of light that made everything look flatter and farther away than it was.
“Perfect weather for being suspicious,” Lena said as they stepped past the last of the houses and onto the eastern trail. “No sun in your eyes, no shadows to hide in. Just pure, honest gloom.”
“Optimistic as always,” Aria said.
“Someone has to balance out your new Nightfall enthusiasm,” Lena replied. “You’re starting to sound like you like it here.”
Aria snorted. “Don’t spread that around. I have a reputation.”
The east loop curved along a low ridge, then dipped toward a narrow river half‑freed from ice. Snow here was patchy, giving glimpses of dark soil and stone. In the most sheltered spots, thin green shoots
