When she reaches for it, her hand glances off... nothing. A disconnect in the world, like what's beyond that point is totally separate and unreachable. She gets the sense that it's less a barrier and more that the gem is just... not quite in the same place as her.

However, reaching for it also transports her immediately elsewhere before she can contemplate that too deeply!

Laura lands on a grassy underneath a tall tree. The sound of the sea can be heard lapping in the distance. Laios is lounging under the tree... but a different Laios than she's ever seen before, with hooves and a tail, feathers around his neck and shoulders, and strangely formed arms, one resembling a bird talon and the other a tiger's paw. He looks up and waves to her.

"Hi, Donna."

That sense of hunger has eased to something that can be ignored without much effort.