The first thing Emma noticed was the silence.

Not the eerie, unnatural stillness of the dream-world she'd grown used to. No, this silence was comforting—a hush that blanketed the world like the calm after a storm. She opened her eyes slowly, hesitant, afraid she might still be in the in-between place, that blurred line between fantasy and reality. But as she blinked against the soft light spilling through a tall window, Emma realized she was home.

Or at least, somewhere closer to it.

The ...