The Sickened Luna's Last Chance novel Chapter 429

**The Perfect 429**

**Chapter 429**

**Ella’s POV**

“Something that cannot be done with one, but must be done with two,” I murmured, my gaze fixed on the crystal that hung delicately within its orb. The green light radiated softly, pulsating like a heartbeat, casting shifting shadows that danced across the ancient stone walls of the chamber. “What could that possibly mean?”

Liam furrowed his brow, his mind clearly racing as he pondered the riddle. “Well, it has to be something tangible, right? An action that requires both of us to perform together,” he suggested, his voice thoughtful.

“Okay, but what is something that one person can’t do alone but absolutely needs a partner for?” I pressed, feeling the weight of the riddle pressing down on us.

“A handshake?” Liam proposed, his eyes lighting up with the idea.

It seemed as good a starting point as any, so we approached the orb side by side. Liam extended his hand toward me, and I clasped it firmly, our fingers intertwining as we shook. For a fleeting moment, I held my breath in anticipation—then the orb pulsed once, bright and vibrant, before dimming back to its previous state.

“Did that work?” I asked, glancing around the chamber, my heart racing with hope.

Liam’s gaze flicked to the spot where Alistaire’s spirit lingered, his expression shifting to one of disappointment. “Nope. He’s shaking his head. And… he’s actually laughing at us,” he added, a hint of frustration creeping into his tone.

My shoulders sagged in defeat. “Fantastic. What else requires two people to accomplish?”

For the next twenty minutes, we threw ourselves into a flurry of ideas, trying everything that came to mind. We high-fived enthusiastically, linked our arms together in a playful embrace, and even stood back-to-back, pushing against each other as if we were testing our strength. At one point, we attempted a ridiculous trust fall that nearly ended with me crashing to the stone floor, my heart racing with panic.

Yet, nothing worked. Each time we tried, the orb would pulse once, acknowledging our efforts, but the crystal remained stubbornly out of reach. And each time, according to Liam, Alistaire’s laughter echoed mockingly in the air.

“You know, it would be nice if you could offer us some guidance instead of just laughing at our attempts, you jerk!” I called out to the invisible spirit, frustration boiling over. If there was a solution to this riddle, it certainly wasn’t reaching my ears. I sighed deeply and turned back to Liam, feeling the weight of despair settle in. “This is impossible. How are we ever supposed to figure this out?”

“There must be something we’re overlooking,” Liam said, his voice steadying as he gathered his thoughts. “The riddle mentioned ‘honest and true.’ Maybe it’s not just about the action itself—maybe it’s about the intention behind it?”

“Honest and true,” I repeated, letting the words roll around in my mind like a stone in a stream. What did they truly signify? An action that was genuine. A deed that was sincere.

He hesitated, his expression shifting from uncertainty to something more profound. “I think… I think I might know what it is,” he said slowly, the words hanging in the air like a delicate thread.

“Well, don’t keep me on edge!” I urged, eager to hear his thoughts.

Liam rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks flushing a deep shade of red, and I could see that he was wrestling with his own discomfort. “The riddle mentioned ‘honest and true,’ right? And it involves two people. What if it’s… a kiss?”

“A kiss,” I echoed, my voice flat and incredulous. Liam simply looked at me, his cheeks growing warmer. My heart began to race, pounding in my chest like a drum. A kiss. Of course, it would come down to that. It felt like some cruel twist of fate. After everything we had experienced together, all the conversations about love, friendship, and what we truly meant to each other, a simple kiss was the key to unlocking this damn crystal.

“What if we just… kiss on the cheek?” I suggested, feeling heat rise to my face under Liam’s intense gaze. “That’s still technically a kiss, right?”

Liam’s expression flickered with disappointment, but he quickly masked it, nodding in agreement. “Yeah. Yeah, that could work.”

We approached the orb once more, the tension between us palpable. I turned my face slightly to the side, my heart racing in anticipation. Liam leaned in, his lips brushing against my cheek in a warm, gentle touch, and I closed my eyes, savoring the moment. The orb pulsed again—