Opening excerpt

Lila floated in an endless sky, hues of twilight wrapped around her like a warm blanket. Below, an ocean of clouds shimmered under the celestial glow, hiding the world beneath in a serene mystery. This was her haven, a dreamscape she visited often, painted from the palette of her vivid imagination.

The air was crisp, tinged with the scent of jasmine, and it carried the soft melody of an unseen orchestra, a harmony that resonated with Lila’s soul. She twirled, arms outstretched, embracing the freedom that only this dreamscape could offer. Here, she was unbound by the rules of reality, free to explore the boundless realms of her creativity.

Suddenly, the serene sky began to darken, the twilight hues deepening into ominous shades of crimson and obsidian. A chill swept through the air, the sweet jasmine scent replaced by the sharp tang of burning wood. Lila’s heart raced, her tranquil sanctuary transforming into something unrecognizable.

From the darkening abyss below, strange structures began to emerge through the clouds, tall and menacing. They were towers made of a strange material, not quite metal, not quite stone, twisting towards her with an intimidating presence.

The music in the air turned discordant, jarring. Lila’s haven was no longer a place of refuge but a landscape morphing into a reflection of her deepest fears. She tried to will the sight to change, as she had done countless times before, but her powers seemed to wane, leaving her adrift in this unsettling transformation.

Above, the stars flickered and warped, morphing into glaring red eyes that watched her, unblinking. Lila’s breath caught in her throat. She had never felt fear here, in the one place she thought she controlled completely.

The sky continued to darken until she was surrounded by an oppressive night, the once calming sea of clouds now a tumultuous storm below. Thunder rumbled, a sound so deep and terrifying it vibrated in her bones.

“Enough,” Lila whispered, her voice quivering. She closed her eyes, trying to dispel the nightmarish vision, to wake up from this unsettling dream. But the darkness clung to her, the eerie sensation of being watched lingering.

With a start, Lila’s eyes snapped open, her heart pounding in her chest. She was back in her room. Above the window, the paper stars she had made when she was eleven moved in the draft. At sixteen, she had stopped believing they protected her, but she still counted them before she let herself close her eyes.