Chapter 284

NATALIE’S POV There was darkness all around me. My body felt heavy. My breathing was shallow, like I was sinking under endless water. Then…I felt warmth. I blinked, and suddenly I was standing barefoot in a forest that seemed like it was carved out of sunlight itself. The trees were tall. Their leaves glowed like they had crystal pieces on them. Some of them glowed with golden and red light The ground was soft under my feet, and the air sparkled as well. My breath caught. This wasn’t a dream. I knew it deep in my bones. This was something sacred. And then I saw her. Shivani. She stepped from between the trees. Her presence was more radiant than I remembered. Her gown looked like it was made from the very forest. It was flowing, golden and it looked alive. Her eyes glowed like fire and starlight all at once. She looked serene yet her presence was commanding. Just being near her made the ache in my chest ease for the first time since Memphis. “Shivani…” My voice cracked as tears stung my