She stood at the stall of , a mare whose coat was the color of a bruised plum—dark, deep, and shimmering with an iridescent violet in the right light. Omitome wasn't a plow horse or a racer. She was a "Four-Stepper," one of the rare beasts rumored to be able to walk between the layers of the world.

As they broke into a gallop toward the treeline, the world began to blur. The green of the leaves didn't just pass by; it stretched into long, emerald ribbons. The sound of the rain vanished, replaced by a rhythmic, metallic humming.

"One for the mud," Elara whispered, tightening the cinch of the worn leather saddle. Omitome let out a low, vibrating huff.

"Four for the soul," Elara choked out, her voice echoing in a place with no wind.

Elara leaned low over Omitome’s neck. "Faster, girl. We’re almost out of time."