Chapter 20

• She approached the pool cautiously, the shard pulsing faintly in her hand. As she knelt beside it, the water began to shimmer, reflecting not her own image but something else entirely.
• The vision that appeared was fragmented, like shards of broken glass pieced together. She saw herself standing before the gate, the shard glowing brightly in her hand. On the other side of the gate was a figure cloaked in darkness, its features obscured but its presence unmistakable.
• The figure reached out, its hand brushing against the gate’s surface. The light from the shard flickered, as if resisting, and the figure recoiled. But then, slowly, it began to smile—a chilling, knowing smile that sent a shiver down Seraphina’s spine.