The ground shifts violently beneath my feet with a tremor so strong, it feels as though the entire world is threatening to split open. I steady myself, my pulse thundering in my ears as I look up.
A jagged crack slices across the sky, luminous white and impossibly bright, like lightning frozen in place. The air vibrates with an otherworldly hum, a deep resonance that sinks into my bones and makes every hair on my body stand on end. My stomach lurches, my instincts screaming at me that this is wrong—fundamentally wrong.
The sound comes next, a deafening roar like a thousand mirrors shattering at once. It’s everywhere, all-consuming. Around me, there’s yelling, a scramble for balance, but it’s Jamie’s voice that cuts through the chaos.
“Uncle Jack, loo?—”
My gaze snaps to him just in time to see Ridge, his horse, rear back in panic. Jamie’s small form teeters precariously in the saddle, his eyes wide with fear as he struggles to hold on.
Shit. He’s going to fall.
My legs move instinctively, but it feels like I’m running underwater, every step heavier than the last. The pressure in the air is oppressive, thick, and suffocating.
“Solan!” I shout, but he’s already moving.
Solan’s form blurs as he surges forwards with inhuman speed, his golden eyes locked on Jamie. I don’t even have time to process what’s happening before Solan reaches the horse, his strong arms catching Jamie mid-fall with a precision that makes my chest tighten with relief.
The blinding light in the sky pulses again, brighter this time, and the rumbling intensifies. Ridge bolts, his hooves pounding against the ground as he vanishes into the chaos. I don’t blame him.
By the time I reach them, Jamie is clutching Solan tightly, face buried against his shoulder. His small frame trembles, but he’s safe, and that’s all I care about.
“Got him,” Solan says, his voice calm despite the commotion. His emotions, though—relief and worry tangled together—flood through our bond.
“Thanks,”I manage to say through our telepathic link, my gratitude almost overwhelming.“I don’t know what I’d do if?—”
“He’s fine, Jack. Focus,”Solan cuts in, his tone firm but gentle.
He’s right. The ground has stopped shaking, but the sky is still wrong, the crack bleeding white light through the green sky that seems to ripple outwards. The air feels charged, almost electric, and there’s a low, persistent hum like the world itself is holding its breath.
Around us, the settlement is bedlam. Rebels and residents alike are either frozen—their faces etched with fear and uncertainty—or racing around in panic. Some are shouting orders, others are checking on loved ones, but one thing is clear: Everyone knows what this is.
Another rift.
“What the hell just happened?” I mutter, fixing my eyes on the sky despite being pretty bloody confident I know what this is.
Shanae appears beside me, her expression grim. “Another rift. A big one, by the looks of it.”
“It didn’t look like this when I came through,” I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them. My memory flashes back to that day: the disorienting pull, the blinding light, and then waking up in this strange, terrifying world. This is not the same.
“Each one’s different,” Shanae says, her voice tight. “Depends on the worlds being torn apart.”
A chill runs down my spine. Worlds. Plural. Somewhere, right now, entire pieces of another dimension are being dragged into this one. And something from Terrafeara is gone, replaced in the blink of an eye.
Jamie lifts his head from Solan’s shoulder, his face pale but determined. “Is it over?”
“For now,” Solan says, rubbing Jamie’s back soothingly. But his golden eyes are fixed on the crack in the sky that’s slowly fading, his jaw tight.
“Solan, Jack.” Varek’s voice snaps my attention back to the here and now. The rebel leader is striding towards us, his silver eyes sharp and his expression unreadable. Behind him, several figures I recognise as part of the rebellion’s inner circle are gathering.
“You felt it,” Varek says, though it’s not a question.
“Hard to miss,” I reply, my tone dry despite the tension.
“Then you know what this means.” His gaze shifts to Solan. “We need you and Calythra on this. Shanae will lead the team, but you’re the best hunter we have, and Calythra is apparently trained.”
Solan’s emotions flicker through our bond—duty, resolve, and a flash of something I can’t quite name. But there’s hesitation, too, and I know why.
“We can’t be apart,” I say quickly, stepping forwards. “Not yet.”
