SAVANNAH
My legs felt like jelly as I stepped away from the stone circle. The mind trial had left me drained in ways I couldn't even describe—like someone had taken everything inside me, shaken it up, and put it back together in a new configuration. Better, more whole, but utterly exhausting.
Ash was the first to reach me, practically tackling me with a hug that would've knocked me over if River hadn't steadied me from behind.
"Dude, you were in there for like four hours," Ash said, his voice muffled against my shoulder. "We thought you'd gone to another dimension or something."
"Kind of did," I mumbled, letting myself lean into his familiar warmth.
Alexa joined the group hug, her curls tickling my cheek. "You look different," she whispered. "Like, glowy."
"That's just sweat," I jok
