"There's a portal of some sort," Seraphine explained, "in the far corner of the world, near the boundary of what we've explored. Occasionally—maybe once every few years—creatures break through it."
Julian frowned thoughtfully. "A portal?"
"Yes," Lyanna confirmed. "The creatures that emerge are always powerful—at least early demi-god level. They're also always... different. More aggressive, more dangerous."
"We can handle them," Cassandra added quickly. "Between the three of us and the forces we've trained, we've never had a breach that caused serious damage. But we can't seal the portal itself. We've tried various techniques, but nothing works permanently."
Julian sat back, his expression thoughtful. "A portal," he murmured, and then recognition sparked in his eyes. "If I remember correctly, when I was creating this world, I established a secondary realm within it. Arenath."
All three daughters' eyes widened.
