Briar
My heart pounded as I slipped out of the alley behind the mall, pulling my hood lower over my face. The bustling streets of Nightriver suddenly felt alien and threatening, like I was seeing them for the first time.
"Nice escape," Ivy commented, a hint of pride in her voice. "Now let's see what this place is really hiding."
I nodded, blending into the crowd of shoppers and commuters. The air was thick with the scent of coffee from nearby cafes and the faint tang of exhaust from passing cars. As I walked, I kept my ears open, catching snippets of conversation around me. But as I watched more closely, I started to notice... oddities.
A couple sat at a café, their movements almost robotic as they sipped their coffee in perfect unison. Their conversation drifted over to me:
"Lovely w
