Raya woke before dawn, breath unsteady and skin warm from the dream. The image of Ria standing before her in silver light remained sharp in her mind, not fading like other dreams. It had not felt imagined. It felt real.
Derek stirred first, sensing the change in her breathing, and Jax followed a second later. They had grown used to waking when her energy shifted, yet this time the shift was quieter, deeper.
“She showed herself,” Raya said softly.
Derek pushed himself up on one arm. “Ria.”
“Yes.”
Jax watched her carefully. “Did she try to take control.”
“No,” Raya answered. “She only stood there.”
That unsettled her more than aggression would have. A silent presence meant intention.
The room was still dim, early light barely touching the stone walls. Raya sat upright and placed her
