The transition was violent. One moment, I was bathed in the iridescent, soothing glow of the Moon Goddess’s garden, where the air tasted of ancient cedar and blooming jasmine. The next, the world slammed back into focus with the crushing weight of a lead blanket. The silence of our bedroom felt deafening, a hollow void after the melodic roar of Selene’s crystal waterfall.
I bolted upright, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. My skin was damp with a cold sweat that hadn't been there in the vision. The room was dark, save for the thin, silvery needles of moonlight piercing through the heavy velvet curtains, mocking me with their dimness compared to the brilliance of the Goddess herself.
Beside me, Jackson let out a jagged, guttural gasp. He didn't just wake up; he react
