by Lily Robertson
In the elven kingdom of Tharindel, the morning begins like any other—mist curling through ancient elder-wood trees, castle courtyards stirring to life, and silver banners dancing in the wind. But beneath the calm beauty of Luthariel, something shifts in the fabric of the world. Daniel Harper awakens abruptly in a forest unlike anything he’s ever seen—cool, luminous, and humming with quiet magic. Moments earlier, he had been caught in a violent thunderstorm back home in the United States. Now he finds himself sprawled in the dirt of an impossibly beautiful woodland, disoriented and unsure whether he’s dreaming, dead, or losing his mind. His confusion is interrupted by the arrival of Elara Mosswood, an elf from the realm of Fayndor. Sharp-eyed and cautious, yet warm beneath her suspicion, Elara quickly realizes Daniel has done the impossible—he has crossed the Veil, a rare and dangerous tear between worlds that few mortals survive. As Daniel struggles to process elves, magic, and the idea that “fate” may have personally singled him out, Elara decides to guide him toward Luthariel, the nearest elven city. The woods are unsafe, and if anyone can explain why the Veil opened for him, it will be the ruling Mystralath family. Together, they journey through a forest alive with glowing vines and silver blossoms, Daniel caught between awe and fear as he steps deeper into a world that feels both breathtaking and perilous. The chapter closes as the silver towers of Luthariel rise from the mist, and Elara offers a quiet warning: Eryndor may not be as welcoming as it is beautiful.
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