The floating island of books shook violently. Underneath, the white void kept rising, swallowing everything like a starving sea. That storm ahead—a screaming wall of black clouds and purple lightning—looked ready to tear them apart. And in the middle of all that, the path split. One road gleamed cold and blue with computer code and metal. That was the World of Science. The other road shimmered with floating purple stones and glowing, faded symbols. That was the World of Magic.
“We can’t do this, Julian!” Maya shouted, the wind ripping her voice straight from her throat.
She squeezed his hand hard. It felt like her heart was being pulled in two. She’d just fought so hard to remember him, to hold on to his face, his soul. And now the story wanted her to let him go—again.
“If we stay toget
