They stood in a clearing in a forest. But it was no forest like Lyza had ever seen. The trees—evergreen-like in shape—appeared to be made of a frosted glass. Vines of black stone twisted up their trunks, their finish so polished they appeared to shine as if covered in a layer of water. Around their base, crystal of pale blue and soft pink poked through the powder snow that covered the ground. The crystals glowed, lighting the crystalline forest with an aethereal air.

And far above her head, far above the tips of the glass trees, an inky black sky loomed. Stars adorned that expanse. They shone like jewels on display, far brighter than any star in the sky of the realm of humans.

This was the realm of the Fae. Alien and beautiful. Eerie and cold.

Lyza stole a glance at her sister, Aery. She stood half a step back and to her right, her shoulders hunched. Her chin was buried up to her downturned lower lip in her burgundy scarf. Her soft brown eyes flicked around the clearing. At her sides, her hands twisted at her brown skirt.

Lyza caught one of those hands and gave it a gentle squeeze, willing strength through it. It was as much for herself as for her sister. Just as much something to inspire her own confidence as it was to comfort her sister.

Their guide, a tall man with raven hair laced with silver, had not stopped while the sisters took in their strange surroundings. He, without looking back, continued forward into the glowing forest.

Lyza took one last look over her shoulder, to the empty Gate behind them. Two pillars of white stone marked the boundaries of where the tear in reality had stood, where the Gate opened. But it was closed now, and there was no sign of the snow filled cave from which they had come. Just more of the glass...