Karina was floating in the endless expanse of a dream, but something felt wrong—terribly wrong. Her surroundings were a swirling mist of dark blues and grays, and she couldn’t tell if she was standing, sitting, or simply suspended in a place that had no ground. Then, out of the mist, her aunt appeared, her face soft and gentle, but her eyes glowing with a sharp intensity that made Karina uneasy.
“Aunt Selene?” Karina called out, but her voice felt distant, like it didn’t belong to her.
Her aunt didn’t respond. Instead, she reached out with a hand, a slow, deliberate motion that sent shivers down Karina’s spine. As her fingers drew closer, Karina felt a strange pull deep within her, as though something inside her was being dragged out by an invisible force.
She tried to step back, to ret
