Ember Frost’s POV

I woke to a wide, empty stretch of land that seemed to go on forever. The grass was short and dry, pale in places, and it bent softly whenever the wind passed through. Between the blades, small glimmers of yellow drifted and flickered, like dead fireflies.

For a while I just lay there, listening to the faint rustle of the field. Then I pushed myself up and realized I was sitting in a shallow creek. The water slid gently around me, cool and strangely comforting. I noticed, ...