Sheenah blinked, disoriented. She was no longer in her apartment. Snow crunched beneath her feet, and icy wind whipped around her. She stood in the shadow of a vast, ancient castle, its spires reaching toward a sky lit by the blue moon.
Before her stood a tall figure, cloaked in silver and blue. His eyes were as cold as the winter night, but there was a familiar sadness in them.
"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice echoing across the frozen courtyard.
Sheyiah's heart pounded. She knew that face—she had seen it in her dreams, and on the pages of the book.
"Duke Theodore?" she whispered.
He stepped closer, suspicion etched into his features. "How do you know my name? Are you a spy for the Royal Family? Speak, or you'll regret trespassing in my domain."
Sheenah's mind raced. Was this real? Was she truly standing before the Duke himself? Fear and wonder battled within her as she struggled for words.
"I… I'm not a spy. I don't know how I got here. Please, I just want to find my way home."
The Duke's eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, the castle doors burst open. A group of guards rushed out, weapons drawn.
"My lord! We found another intruder—she was wandering near the gates!" one shouted, dragging a struggling figure behind him.
Sheenah's heart leapt. "Leah!"
Leah's eyes widened as she saw Sheyiah. "What's going on? Where are we?"
The Duke raised a hand, silencing the guards. He studied the two girls, his expression unreadable.
"Take them to the holding chambers," he commanded. "We'll get answers soon enough."
As the guards led them away, Sheenah clung to Leah's hand, fear and excitement swirling inside her. The story was no longer just words on a page. They were living it now—and the next chapter was theirs to write.
The heavy doors of the grand chamber closed behind Sheenah and Leah, leaving them alone under the cold gaze of Duke Theodore. The torches along the stone walls flickered, casting long shadows across the floor. Guards stood at attention, hands on their weapons, ready for any sign of trouble.
The Duke's eyes narrowed as he studied the two strangers. "You arrive on the night of the blue moon, speaking my name as if you know me. Explain yourselves," he demanded, his voice sharp and commanding.
Sheenah swallowed hard, clutching the midnight-blue book to her chest. She glanced at Leah, who gave her a small, encouraging nod.
"I know this sounds impossible, but we're not from this world," Sheenah began, her voice trembling but determined. "I was given this book by an old man at a bookshop in my city. He said it was special, and when I started reading it, I felt… connected to the story. Last night, after I finished the book, the cover began to glow. The next thing I knew, Leah and I were here—in your world."
The Duke's jaw tightened. "A likely story. Do you expect me to believe that some old man sent you here with a book?" He stepped down from his throne, his presence imposing. "If you know of my curse, it is because you have been sent to exploit it. Who do you serve? The southern kingdoms?"
"No one!" Sheenah protested, her voice rising. "I swear, I don't know anyone here. I only know about your curse because it was in the book. It said your heart is slowly turning to ice, and nothing can stop it."
The Duke's eyes flashed with anger and pain. "Enough. You know too much for a mere coincidence. Magic is rare and dangerous in this land. Spies have used stranger tricks to get close to me."
Leah stepped forward, her voice pleading. "Please, Your Grace, we're telling the truth. We don't know how we got here. We just want to go home."
The Duke studied them both, his suspicion unsoftened. "If you are spies, you will find no mercy here. If you are telling the truth, then perhaps the curse has drawn you—though I doubt it. Either way, you will remain under guard until I decide what to do with you."
He signaled to the guards. "Take them to the guest chambers. Post a watch at the doors. No one is to speak with them without my permission."
As the guards led Sheenah and Leah away, Sheenah's heart sank. She had told the truth, but the Duke's icy suspicion was unyielding. The story she thought she knew had become a dangerous reality—and she was now a prisoner in its pages.
That night, as Sheenah lay awake in the unfamiliar room, she stared at the midnight-blue book on the table. Its cover no longer glowed, but she could feel its weight, as if it still held secrets she had yet to understand. She wondered if she would ever convince the Duke of her innocence—or if she would be trapped in this world forever, a stranger accused of crimes she didn't commit.
Outside, the blue moon cast its cold light over the castle, and Sheenah realized her journey was only just beginning.