The night stretched far and wide, shrouding the palace in an almost torturous silence. The wind blew softly, meant to be soothing, but it did nothing to ease the tension rooted deep in Era's chest. She remained standing in the back garden of the palace, the only place where she could find a bit of relief, if only for a moment.

The sky lay open above Era, dark under the faint glow of the moon. The silvery light that usually illuminated the world now seemed dim, as if it lacked the power to pierce the suffocating fear that weighed on Era's heart.

Cold crept in, seeping into her bones. Era...