The air rippled as the violet Dreamgate sealed shut behind Sera with a shudder, leaving only the scorched scent of fire in her wake. The others stood still for a beat too long, the silence stretching between them like a snapped string refusing to fall.
"She didn't even wait for us to say goodbye," Evelyn murmured, her voice strained.
Verena stepped up to the gate, now inert and sealed. "That's Sera," she said flatly. "Running headfirst into danger with nothing but rage and instinct. But if anyone can tear through a dream built to rewrite her, it's her."
Evelyn turned toward Verena, trembling. "But what if it changes her? What if she doesn't come back the same?"
"She won't," Verena said, locking eyes with her. "That's the point."
Evelyn flinched at the answer, but Beatrice stepped closer and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "She's not alone. The Dream tried to consume me too, and I'm still here. Wiser. Sharper. Maybe sadder—but still me."
