Chapter 345

• Leonardo’s power surged against my back as we slipped through the portal, an electric force that left my skin tingling. It was gone in a blink, replaced by the cold bite of the realm’s fabric as it brushed against us. The transition was disorienting, but the moment we emerged, I knew something was wrong.
• Sunlight filtered through treetops towering hundreds of feet above, casting the scene in sharp contrasts of emerald and gold. The colors were too vivid, the moss too vibrant, the pale sky almost over-saturated. Carlo’s wide eyes mirrored my unease as we took in the Fae realm—and the war camp we had landed in.
• Around us, soldiers halted their tasks. Hands froze mid-sharpen on blades and gripped sword hilts with measured tension. The massive tents, some suspended from trees by thick spikes, loomed like sentinels over the camp. Fires crackled in two separate pits, one roasting charred meat skewered on sticks, while bowls of steaming stew were abandoned by warriors who rose to attention. The air was damp with the scent of morning dew and smoke, and every gaze fixed on us was edged with suspicion—and threat.