The Silence and The Storm: Chapter 8

The wind picked up as the stars came out, swirling leaves across the garden path. Evelyne stood with the button in both hands now, holding it close like it might slip away if she wasn’t careful. 

She took a deep breath. 

Then, she spoke. 

“I wish for a chance to attend the royal ball,” she said softly, “but not to be chosen, or admired, or dressed like someone I’m not. I don’t care about crowns or attention.” 

Her fingers tightened around the button. 

“I just want to see the truth. To understand the world — the real one, not the version people pretend to live in.” 

There was a pause. A silence so thick, it almost made the air feel heavy. 

Then — warmth. 

It rushed up her arms, through her chest, into her throat, until she could barely breathe. The button lit up again, glowing so bright it turned the garden gold. 

What’s happening? 

The wind howled louder, wrapping around her like a storm with no sound. The trees blurred. The sky melted. The ground disappeared. 

And Evelyne vanished with it.