Chapter 157

Maren

Being seen has weight.

I didn’t notice it at first—not the way I noticed fire or water or the way my own skin still feels a little unfamiliar when I move. It crept in quietly, like pressure changes do, subtle enough that you only realize something’s wrong when breathing feels different.

We don’t travel far after the lake. Kaelen insists on distance—on movement—but even as we leave, I can fee