Chapter 32
Annalise
Pain radiated through every inch of my body, sharp and unrelenting. I groaned as I tried to move, every bruise and cut a vivid reminder of the fight I’d just survived. My fingers trembled as I pushed myself upright, the world around me spinning for a moment before settling into the dense greens of a familiar forest.
At first, I thought I’d been transported back home—to the safety of my kingdom’s woods. But the air felt too still, too cold, and the faint shimmer in the distance reminded me where I truly was. Still in the portal.
I staggered to my feet, gritting my teeth against the stabbing pain in my side. My clothes were torn, and my skin stung where blood had dried against the fabric. The forest was eerily silent except for the occasional rustle of leaves. I neede
