Sera's Pov
One moment I was fighting—blade slashing through fur, breath ragged in my chest, blood and sweat smearing my face—and the next, the ground beneath me was gone.
It didn't shift. It didn't rumble. It simply vanished.
The fortress walls, the shouting, the roar of flames—they all blinked out of existence. In their place was silence and an icy chill that seeped into my skin.
I stumbled forward, blades raised, and froze when I realized the world had changed.
I was standing in what looked like a large circle the size of a village square. Trees surrounded it like watchful giants, thick-trunked and ancient. The sky here was starless, a soft swirl of grey and black overhead, like dusk had frozen in place. The air hummed with residual power, white mist clinging to the air like breath held too long.
I spun, still disoriented, and found Lucian next to me in wolf form. His hackles were raised, golden eyes glowing, muscles coiled and ready. He was just as confused as I was.
