All Chapters of Thalia's Ashen Fate: Chapter 21

The world snapped back into focus with a nauseating lurch. The portal behind us didn't just shut; it was devoured, leaving behind the acrid scent of ozone and a silence that rang in my ears. For a dizzying moment, the room swam, and a wave of mana-burn washed over me, hot and sickening. Then, through the haze, familiar shapes resolved themselves: my worn desk, the faded tapestry on the wall, and the faint scent of old paper. My room. My knees nearly gave out in relief."Where in all the realms have you two been?"Amelia’s voice cut through my disorientation. She rushed forward, her face a canvas of frantic worry, her hands fluttering as if unsure who to touch first. "I've been sick with fear! There was no way to reach you."I exchanged a heavy glance with Cassius. The grime on his travel-worn clothes and the grim set of his jaw told a story I wasn't ready to share. "I… made a mistake," I admitted, the words tasting like ash. "A small miscalculation during the teleport.""A small misca