Magic, Mayhem, and My Misplaced Soulmate

Previously

…As sleep finally claimed her, the wooden bird remained clutched in her hand. Her dreams were vivid, a kaleidoscope of sapphire blue and a melodic laugh that echoed with pure joy. She felt an overwhelming sense of warmth, of belonging, a sensation so potent it brought tears to her eyes even in sleep. She woke with a gasp, the dream lingering like a phantom limb. An image seared into her mind: a beautiful young woman with eyes like the summer sky, a stranger she had never met, yet felt she knew intimately. The mystery deepened, and the call of Atheria, the silent song of the wooden bird, grew louder, more insistent.