The moment we stepped through the portal, the world changed.
Cold air hit us like a wall. The ground beneath my feet was soft, like ash or dust. The sky above was dark purple and black, swirling like smoke caught in slow motion. The trees here weren’t real trees — they were made of black glass, their sharp branches reaching out like claws. The air hummed with quiet whispers, voices that came from nowhere and everywhere at once.
I took a deep breath and nearly gagged. The air smelled like burnt earth and something rotten.
Asher caught my hand. “Stay close.” He said quietly. His gray eyes glowed faintly in the darkness. The bond between us pulsed, steadying me.
Gage looked around, his golden aura flickering in the dim light. “This place feels wrong.” He muttered. “Like it’s alive.”
“It
