Nika pressed her palm to the shimmering portal. Pearl walls and a crystal chandelier filled her room.
She held her breath. The portal hummed a low, musical note, and the room hummed back.
Nika tiptoed down the hallway, where glowing dream bubbles floated along the walls. She reached out and one popped.
A silly laugh whispered from the pop. The air smelled like warm milk and vanilla.
She leaped for a bright bubble shaped like a silver moon. It zipped away, leaving stardust on her fingertips.
Her bare feet clicked softly on the floorboards. She followed the trail deeper into the castle.
She pushed open the door and gasped. A giant cloud bed floated in a sky full of stars.
She jumped on the cloud and giggled. It bounced gently, cool and smooth against her pajamas.
Sleep pulled her under like a warm blanket. The stars hummed a lullaby all her own.
Nika woke in her own bed. The pearl walls were gone — but a glittering tooth-shaped locket rested on her nightstand.