Serena woke with a violent gasp, her body slick with sweat despite the thick wool blanket pulled up to her chin. Cold clung to her fingers, biting and numbing, as though she had never truly left the frozen land from her dream. Her lips—usually full and richly red—were pale now, and her caramel‑golden skin looked dulled, almost dusted with ash. For a long moment she lay still, afraid that if she moved the forest would return, the ice would crack again beneath her feet.
Slowly, cautiously, she lifted her hand to her face. Her breath hitched as memories surged—sharp nails, burning pain, blood. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she turned her wrist over, inspecting the skin beneath the dim glow of the firelight. There was nothing there. No wounds. No scratches. Not even a bruise.
A shaky breath escaped her, halfway between a laugh and a sob. "It was all a dream," she whispered, forcing the words past her dry throat. "A terrible, awful dream." A weak smile tugged at her lips as she pressed her palm flat against her chest, gripping the fabric of her nightdress as if anchoring herself to the present. Her heart beat hard and fast, like it was still trying to outrun something.
"Serena… are you alright, love?" Missy's voice broke the silence, soft but edged with concern. She had pushed herself up on one elbow, watching Serena closely. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Serena swallowed and nodded, though the motion felt uncertain. "I—I think so. I had a nightmare, Aunt Missy. It was horrible. Everything felt so real, like I was actually there." Her fingers curled tightly into the sheets. "It was awful."
Missy did not respond right away. She studied Serena with an expression Serena had never seen before—sad, heavy, stripped of its usual warmth. The charming smile Missy wore so effortlessly was gone. When she finally moved closer and sat beside Serena, it felt deliberate, as though she were bracing herself.
Her face, illuminated by the fire, looked older somehow. Tired. Laden with secrets that pressed against her lips, desperate to be spoken. Then, slowly, she smiled—the gentle, familiar smile that had soothed Serena through scraped knees and sleepless nights.
"Serena, my dear," Missy said softly. "Whatever you saw… whatever you think it might mean—even how it felt…" She paused, reaching for Serena's hand and enclosing it in both of hers. Her fingers trembled. Her eyes, fixed on Serena's, were taut with something dangerously close to fear. "You must not speak of it. To anyone. Not even to me. Do you understand?"
The words struck Serena like a slap. She stared at Missy, stunned, convinced for a fleeting second that she was still dreaming. She tried to pull her hand back, but Missy's grip tightened.
"You can't trust anyone," Missy continued, her gaze drifting away. "Not even me." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Especially me." A single tear slid down her cheek and fell onto the blanket.
Serena's brows knitted together in confusion. Nothing about this made sense. Everything about Eldermere—the town, the people, the way the air itself felt—had been strange since the moment they arrived. But this… this was different. Missy had always been her constant, her anchor. She was more than an aunt—more like a sister, a protector, the one person Serena believed she could always rely on.
"Why would you say that?" Serena asked quietly. "I know something is wrong. I know you might know why Father wanted me to come here. Why won't you just tell me? I'm sure I'd understand." Even as she spoke, she knew the question would likely meet the same silence it always did.
Missy opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her expression fractured, composure slipping. For a heartbeat she looked like she might finally break, finally tell Serena everything. Serena leaned closer, hope stirring painfully in her chest.
A knock at the door shattered the moment.
The door creaked open and Mrs. Smith stepped inside, flustered and pale. "Forgive me for intruding, ladies," she said, wringing her apron nervously, "but the general is here. He's come to escort you to meet the elders."
"We'll be down shortly," Missy replied at once, releasing Serena's hand. Just like that, her calm returned, her expression smooth and unreadable. She crossed the room and leaned against the window ledge, staring out into the gray morning. "Get dressed, Serena. We mustn't keep them waiting."
Serena nodded, unsettled by the abrupt shift, and hurried into the bathroom. As Mrs. Smith turned to leave, she hesitated. "You are expected to present yourself before the council to plead your case," she said carefully. "That is all the mercy afforded to one who betrays her own kind. I hope she's worth it."
"She is," Missy replied coolly, without turning around. "Far more than your little mind could possibly imagine."
The door closed. The moment it did, Missy's strength crumbled. She pressed her forehead to the glass, shoulders shaking as quiet sobs tore from her chest. "My life may be over," she whispered brokenly, "but yours has only just begun, my dear."
Minutes later, they descended the stairs together. The general stood waiting by the door, posture rigid, presence commanding. His cap shadowed his face, though strands of blond hair escaped beneath it. Serena found herself staring despite the tension curling in her stomach. He was tall, broad‑shouldered, his aura heavy with authority. Power clung to him like a second skin.
"Ms. Serena. Ms. Missy," he said curtly. "We must leave at once. The elders will not tolerate delay."
"But she hasn't eaten," Missy protested, drawing Serena closer. "You must be starving, love. Let's at least—"
"I'm afraid that isn't possible," the general interrupted, his voice cold, edged with restrained hostility.
"I will not take her anywhere on an empty stomach," Missy snapped. For a fleeting second, Serena thought she saw Missy's eyes flare red.
"Don't make this harder than it already is, Missy," the general warned, stepping forward.
Missy moved instantly, positioning herself in front of Serena, body tense and ready. The air between them grew thick, oppressive, charged with unseen power. Serena's breath caught as she stood frozen behind her aunt, heart pounding. She could not grasp what was happening at the moment all she prayed was it didn't end in a physical fight