Sienna’s breath caught in her throat. The silence was so profound, it felt unnatural, as though the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. The last step she took had brought her into a strange, almost dreamlike space, a clearing, but unlike any she had ever seen before.
The light was soft, yet intense, glowing from a source she couldn’t see. The trees around them had turned into gnarled, twisting figures that seemed to shift and move in the corner of her vision. The very air pulsed with energy, and Sienna could feel it deep in her bones.
Valen was beside her, his hand on the hilt of his sword, his stance tense. The soldiers were uneasy, their weapons drawn, scanning their surroundings for any sign of danger. But nothing moved. Not even the breeze stirred t
