At first, it was subtle.Ella stood at the training grounds, sparring with two warriors. Her movements were sharp, her strikes clean. But suddenly—her balance faltered. A misstep. A hesitation. The blade in her hand clanged against the ground.

Damian was at her side in seconds. “Ella?”

“I’m fine,” she said, waving him off with a weak smile. “Just… dizzy.”

But she wasn’t. Something felt off. The ground felt too soft. The wind too loud. The colors around her were too ...