Elowen woke to silence.
Not the kind of silence she was used to—the tense, fragile quiet of the foster house where any sound could trigger Linda's anger. This was different. Deeper. Like the castle itself was holding its breath.
She opened her eyes slowly, disoriented.
The room was bathed in soft light—not sunlight, she realized after a moment, but something else. Small orbs floated near the ceiling, glowing with a gentle warmth that felt almost alive. They pulsed faintly, like heartbeats made of light, casting no shadows.
Elowen sat up, her heart already racing.
Kenzi's bed was empty, the covers thrown back carelessly. She was already gone.
The room felt... perfect. That was the only word for it. The temperature was exactly right—not too warm, not too cold. The air smelled faintly o
