Gabriella’s POV
The world split open.
One moment I was standing in the ornate hall of the Alpha Summit, Leo’s hand warm against my lower back, Tristan’s eyes locked on my mother like he was seconds from tearing her throat out for cornering me.
The next—
Silence.
Blackness.
A cold wind rushing upward like I’d fallen into a chasm with no end.
Ava’s voice was the last thing I heard before everything vanished.
You’re ready. Don’t fight it.
And then the ground slammed into me.
Except it wasn’t ground.
It was ash. Thick, scorching ash that clung to my skin like burning snow. I pushed myself up with trembling arms, coughing bitter dust from my lungs.
My surroundings snapped into focus.
An ancient battlefield stretched across the horizon, torn by magic so violent it still hummed throu
