Chapter 281 Veil Between Worlds

• Ariella awoke with a start, her chest heaving as if she had been running for miles. The oppressive weight of the vision—the dark reflection—lingered in her mind, a shadow clinging to her thoughts. She blinked against the sunlight, her fingers still curled around the shard, which lay warm in her grasp. The familiar surroundings of the Sunlit Wastes stretched out before her, the dry wind carrying the scent of distant desert blooms. It was as if the vision had never happened, but the unsettling feeling remained, gnawing at her insides.
• Kaelen’s voice broke through her haze. "Ariella? Are you alright?"
• She turned to find him standing by the edge of their camp, his brow furrowed in concern. The others were beginning to stir, packing their gear, preparing for the next leg of their journey. Ariella’s heart thudded in her chest, but she forced a smile, hoping to quell the unease that threatened to overwhelm her.