The corridor remained.
That was the first thing Rue Yim checked.
The walls were wood again.
The floor solid.
The lanterns dim but steady.
No metal.
No platform.
No train.
And yet—
The sound lingered.
Not loud.
Not present in the air.
But in her mind.
—clack—clack—clack—
Faint.
Distant.
Waiting.
Rue Yim pressed her hand against the wall.
Cold.
Real.
"I didn't board it."
She said it out loud.
A statement.
A defense.
A lie she needed to believe.
Because something inside her whispered—
Not yet.
Her breath hitched.
Not yet.
That meant—
It would come again.
Her stomach twisted.
"No."
She pushed away from the wall.
She needed distance.
Movement.
Something to anchor herself in reality before it slipped again.
Her steps were uneven at first.
Then steadier.
The palace stretched ahead of her in familiar lines.
Predictable turns.
Known spaces.
But something felt off.
Too quiet.
Too empty.
Even for night.
"Where is everyone?"
Her voice echoed softly.
