48 | Recognize

*** Luna Nailo’s POV

There was nothing around me—not even dead dandelions to scrounge for roots, no food to be found. If I couldn’t feed my body, perhaps I could feed my soul.

As I wandered further, I began to suspect I had passed beyond the borders of the Regional realm. The white pines had begun to tower above me, their imposing presence a sign I had ventured out of the prince's territory. These trees were not native to the Regional areas, yet they stood here, sacred and beautiful, as if guarding the land itself.

It had been so long since I had walked beneath their majestic branches that I felt compelled to honor them. These pines, ancient and wise, had stood sentinel over the land for centuries. Their presence was a reminder of all that had been lost and all that still needed protection. I owed them respect—no, more than that, I owed them my devotion.

I knelt beneath the largest of the pines, an elder among giants, and prostrated myself before it. The earth was cold beneath my skin,