The silence in the chamber felt heavier than any scream.
For a heartbeat, no one moved.
Confused by the sudden tension radiating from her husbands, Seraphina slowly turned on the bed, following Arwan's rigid stance and Kethan's sharp, coiled posture. Her gaze traveled past the familiar shapes of silk sheets and carved headboard...
... and landed on a figure that should not have been there.
Her breath left her lungs in a single, broken gasp.
River.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed, half tangled in the covers, long golden hair loose around his shoulders, his expression mirroring her own disbelief. His sharp blue eyes darted around the room, taking in stone walls instead of dreamlight, solid shadows instead of illusions, four men instead of one.
Seraphina's eyes widened as shock and confusion overwhelmed her senses. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.
This wasn't a dream.
She knew it with terrifying certainty.
River was here.
In Shadow City.
In her bed.
