MIRABEL POV.
I hadn’t meant to fall asleep. I was sure I wouldn’t. But I realized I had when my father’s voice cut through my dreams, firm yet calm.
“Get up,” he said. “It’s time for training.”
Rubbing my eyes, I pushed myself up, still groggy. The air was cool against my skin, the faint scent of morning dew lingering in the room. My father stood in the doorway, watching me with that unreadable expression.
Without another word, he turned and walked away, expecting me to follow.
I did.
We entered a vast, empty room with stark white walls and no furniture in sight. The space was so bare, so silent, that every breath felt loud.
I frowned. “What are we doing here?”
My father’s lips curved into a slight smile. “We’re going to play hide and seek.”
I blinked. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “Y
