Chapter 24

was absolutely stunned when I walked into that room and found everyone gathered in the same spot. It was a surreal moment, something I never anticipated. The gravity of the situation was palpable – we had all left our realm and ventured into the human world, an act deemed a grave offense that could lead to severe punishment.

My friend Fenrisa gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief. She turned to me, her eyes wide with concern, and whispered, "Ashley, what are you doing here? Do you realize it's illegal to be here? If the acting king were to find out..."

Her voice trailed off, but her message was clear – we were all in deep trouble, including Fenrisa, who seemed to have forgotten that she, too, was committing the same crime as me.

Frozen in place, I couldn't help but wonder why Thalia was giving me such a withering glare. Then, I realized that Thorian was still gripping my arm firmly, his friends making snide remarks and laughing. The only exception was Rolf, who maintained a stern ex