As Sara looked at her palm, the blood began to slide downward. It moved slowly at first, tracing the lines of her skin as if it were searching for a path. Her breath became shallow. She tried to wipe it away with her other hand, but the red stain only spread further. The warmth of it felt real. Too real.
A single drop gathered at the tip of her finger.
It fell.
The moment the drop touched the carriage floor, the world shattered again.
Sara gasped.
The rocking of the carriage vanished. The scent of leather and wood disappeared. The air changed. It grew colder and heavier, filled with incense and candle smoke.
She was no longer seated.
She was standing.
Before her rose a grand altar made of white marble and gold. Tall pillars lined the vast chamber. Light from enormous crystal chandeliers shone down in sharp brilliance. The walls were decorated with royal banners bearing the emblem of Luminaris, a golden sun surrounded by rays.
She was inside the throne room.
