POV: Thelma

The portal felt like dying. My body stretched and compressed simultaneously, every cell screaming as we crossed the Veil between worlds. Reality itself rejected us, we weren't meant to be here, and the universe made damn sure we knew it.

I stumbled through onto alien ground, gasping. My lungs burned like I'd inhaled fire.

"Don't breathe too deeply," Celeste warned, landing gracefully beside me with Silverclaw. "The air here is thicker with magic. Your body needs time to adjust."

I looked up and immediately wished I hadn't.

The sky was purple. Not sunset purple, actual purple, like someone had painted it with violet ink. Three moons hung in...