---
đ Chapter 7 â Threads of Tomorrow
Aislinn, on the other hand, was not having a peaceful time.
Her pink bicycle squeaked with every pedal, protesting its tragic fate. The dusty road of Trenchside stretched ahead, lined with cracked buildings and flickering neon signs. Children chased battered drones through narrow alleys while merchants yelled over one another, trying to sell cheap bread and synthetic meat.
Above them, the sky-rails rumbled. Silver trains glided across transparent tracks, carrying the glittering citizens of the upper city â so close, yet unreachable.
It wasn't fair, Aislinn thought. Some people were born with gold spoons; others with rusted ones that barely fit in their mouths.
Still, she pedaled on, humming a half-broken pop song through her old headphones â cheerful enough to drown the sound of her thoughts.
A group of teenage boys waved as she passed, grinning.
"Nice color, Ais!" one shouted. "It suits you!"
"Bite me!" she yelled back without looking.
The streets grew busier the closer she got to Moonveil Square. Banners of shimmering fabric stretched across lamp posts, and holographic lanterns floated like tiny stars. Vendors sold crystal sweets that glowed faintly in the dusk, and the smell of fried dumplings hung thick in the air.
Preparations for the upcoming Starlight Festival had already begun â a once-in-five-year celebration of the twin moons that shone brightest over Lunaris. People said that on that night, if you made a wish at moonrise, the heavens might just listen.
Aislinn had loved the festival as a child. Now, it felt more like a pretty lie â a night for people to pretend their wishes could matter in a city that had already made up its mind about them.
Still⌠something about this year's celebration felt different.
She stopped near the square's notice board, where a glowing poster shimmered with silver text:
> "Midnight Wishing Ceremony â Gather by Lake Illunis at moonrise. Let your dreams drift upon the water."
Lake Illunis. The name tugged faintly at her memory.
Aislinn snorted. "Yeah, sure. Like water cares about my dreams."
Still, she found herself staring at the poster longer than she meant to. The painted reflection of twin moons across the water almost seemed to ripple â alive.
She blinked. It was gone.
"Hey, Ais!"
Jenna's voice broke through the noise. The Mahogany brown-haired girl was waving enthusiastically from across the street, her curls bouncing with her wild movements,nearly knocking over a fruit cart in the process.
"Thought you'd bailed on me again!" Jenna said, jumping over a crate to reach her. "So, the great Aislinn rides that now?"
Aislinn groaned. "Please don't start."
"Oh, I'm definitely starting," Jenna grinned. "Pink suits you."
"I swear I'll throw this bike at you."
Jenna laughed so hard she almost tripped. "Fine, fine! So, you going to the festival this weekend?"
"Maybe," Aislinn said, adjusting her bag. "Depends on Mari. She's been having a rough week, but I promised we'd go if she's up for it."
Jenna's grin softened. "Then I hope she is. You both could use something good."
Aislinn smiled faintly. "Yeah⌠maybe we could."
For a moment, the two stood quietly, the noise of the crowd fading behind them. Whatever awkwardness had lingered from the other day was gone â replaced by the easy comfort only best friends could share.
---
By the time Aislinn returned home, the sun had already dipped low behind the towers. The world was painted in amber and violet, shadows stretching long across the narrow streets.
Kamari sat outside their door, wrapped in a blanket, her pale face brightening the second she saw her sister.
"You took forever," she said.
"I got caught in traffic. And children. And your cursed pink bike," Aislinn muttered, pushing her hair from her face.
Kamari giggled, standing to help her carry the groceries inside.
They worked quietly â the kind of silence that wasn't empty but comfortable. Aislinn cooked while Kamari arranged herbs by the window. The scent of rice and spice soon filled their little apartment, cozy and warm despite its cracked walls.
"Hey, Mari?" Aislinn said suddenly. "Do you remember that lake we used to visit when we were little? Before the accident? The one Mom and Dad took us to once?"
Kamari froze mid-motion. "Lake⌠Illunis?"
Aislinn nodded. "Yeah. The festival's being held there this year. Weird coincidence, right?"
Kamari hesitated, her fingers tightening around a cup. "Maybe⌠or maybe not."
Aislinn raised a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Kamari shook her head quickly. "Nothing. Just a silly thought." She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.
Aislinn watched her for a moment longer before shrugging. "Alright. But you're coming with me when you're better. I'll even win you one of those glow bunnies from the stalls."
Kamari laughed softly. "You can barely win an argument, much less a game."
"Watch me."
Her sister's stubborn grin made Kamari's heart ache in a familiar, tender way.
As they ate, the city hummed softly outside. From their window, the first festival lanterns flickered to life â floating upward like tiny, wandering stars.
Kamari leaned her head on her sister's shoulder, smiling faintly. "You know, sis⌠I think this year's going to be different."
Aislinn chuckled. "What makes you say that?"
"I don't know," Kamari murmured, her voice already fading into sleep. "It just feels like the air's waiting for something."
Aislinn looked at her for a long time â her pale cheeks, her slow breathing, the peace that seemed so fragile. She brushed a strand of hair from her sister's face and whispered, "Then whatever it's waiting for⌠I hope it's kind."
Outside, a faint breeze swept through Sil District, carrying the scent of smoke and lantern light. Somewhere far off, a bell chimed â soft, distant, and strangely hollow.
The night deepened. And in the quiet between the stars, something stirred.
---