Chapter 11: (CH10)THE VILLAGE OF MOONLIGHT
DAY 5
Luis woke to the scent of herbs and the soft murmur of voices. His entire body ached, as if someone had driven a truck through his ribs—and then backed up for good measure. Sunlight filtered through the wooden slats of an unfamiliar ceiling, casting golden stripes across the woven blanket that covered him.
"Mom—Mom! He’s awake!"
A small face leaned into view—the girl he’d saved. Her eyes were wide, her voice bubbling with relief. Behind her, the rest of the family rushed in, their expressions softening from worry to joy.
"Thank God," the mother whispered, gently pressing a damp cloth to his forehead. "You’ve been out for almost two days."
Luis tried to sit up. Pain lanced through his side.
"Two—?!"
"Easy," the father said, steadying him. "You were in bad shape when we carried you here."
The door creaked open.
A woman stepped inside—tall, graceful, with hair like spun moonlight and eyes the soft hue of dusk. She carried a basket of herbs, luminous blue petals spilling over the rim like living starlight.
"I see our patient has returned to the land of the living," she said, voice warm but grounded in strength.