Chapter 26
Dino and Luna walked side by side along a winding path that cut through low, misty hills. The world around them seemed muted, the trees bowing slightly under the weight of a soft fog. No birds sang. No wind blew. It was as if the universe had decided to hold its breath.
Luna's red eyes scanned the horizon nervously. "Do you… feel that?" she asked, her voice quiet, almost a whisper.
Dino glanced at her, his black eyes calm, expression unreadable. "What should I feel?" he asked softly.
"The feeling of… being watched. Someone's following us," Luna said, gripping the edge of her black dress.
Dino merely adjusted his traveling robes and continued walking. "Then they are doing a poor job," he said flatly, his tone almost teasing.
For the first time, Luna laughed, a small, nervous sound that echoed softly in the empty hills. "You… really don't care about anything, do you?"
"I care about what matters," Dino replied simply. "And right now, that is you."
The invisible moons—still unseen by human eyes—gathered closer around Luna, sensing her emotions, reflecting them in subtle glimmers only Dino could notice. He knew she didn't see them yet, but he didn't bother telling her.
As they continued walking, a distant figure stirred in the shadows at the edge of the road. The air seemed to warp slightly, a faint pressure Dino could feel in his bones. Yet he made no move, no warning.
Luna shivered. "Why… why aren't you doing anything?"
Dino stopped, finally turning his gaze fully on her. "Because some things are better left to the world to decide." His voice carried neither fear nor anger. Only… certainty.
She looked up at him, a mixture of exasperation and admiration flashing across her pale face. "You're so… stupid," she muttered, yet her hand brushed lightly against his sleeve.
He didn't respond. Instead, he allowed himself a small, almost imperceptible smile the only sign that the quiet man walking beside her had something deep and unreadable beneath the surface.
Hours passed, yet it felt like minutes. No sun, no stars, only the soft echo of their steps and the unspoken bond growing between them. In that silence, they both understood one thing:
They would walk together, no matter what watched, no matter what waited.
End of Chapter 26