The days after the Waking Sea felt strange.

The sky was too quiet. The world too awake. Every sound the rustle of wind, the crackle of Kael’s fire felt alive. As if the dream hadn’t ended, only changed its shape.

Sometimes I caught my reflection in water and saw not my face but golden ripples behind my eyes, whispering things I couldn’t understand.

The dream was still breathing inside me.

Kael stayed close.

He didn’t sleep much, just kept watching me as if he expected me to vanish. ...