Chapter 5

　　Lily’s laughter followed me as I stepped out of the inn.

　　She was chattering excitedly to Doctor Reynolds about how Liam had proposed, her voice light and full of joy.

　　I quickened my pace, as if I were being chased by a ghost.

　　Outside, the crisp air did little to cool the heat rising in my chest. My steps were unsteady, my vision blurring at the edges. I stumbled to a quiet corner, gripping the rough surface of a wooden post for support.

　　A wave of dizziness hit me.

　　With trembling fingers, I dug into my pocket, pulled out my medication, and swallowed a pill.

　　Slowly, the discomfort eased.

　　I exhaled. I was never a lucky person.

　　No parents. No real friends. Nothing about me had ever stood out—not my grades, not my talents, not my existence. I used to believe the Moon Goddess had turned her back on me.

　　Until that day.

　　That one, impossible day.