Ella's POV
I woke up with a scream lodged in my throat.
But it didn't come out.
It was like the dream had wrapped its fingers around my lungs and refused to let me breathe. My heart slammed against my ribs, my palms were damp, and the room felt colder than it should've been.
The woman was still there.
Not in the room—but behind my eyes. Echoing in my mind like a ghost refusing to fade. Her silver cloak, her fierce eyes, and that haunting smile that wasn't cruel... but knowing.
She knew me.
And somehow, I knew her too.
I sat up, pressing my hand to my chest, the mark I'd seen in my dream throbbing under my skin like it was alive. The moonlight spilled through the windows, silvery and soft, but I didn't feel safe under it. Not anymore.
I swung my legs off the bed and tried to stand
