Aliena woke with a violent gasp.
Her entire body jerked sharply as though something had thrown her out of the vision by force.
Air tore painfully into her lungs.
For one horrifying second—
she did not know where she was.
The throne.
The blood.
Sebastian smiling.
Those black wings stretching endlessly behind him while kingdoms burned beneath his feet—
The memory crashed back into her mind all at once.
Her breathing became uneven immediately.
"No…"
Her voice came out broken.
Weak.
Shaking.
The abyss around her pulsed softly in response.
Silver flowers swayed violently beneath the black sky as though reacting to her panic.
Aliena stumbled backward instinctively, one trembling hand pressed against her chest.
Her heart was pounding so hard it physically hurt.
Not because of the blood.
Not because of the destruction.
Not even because of the throne.
It was Sebastian's face.
That smile.
Calm.
Beautiful.
Willing.
That terrified her.
