Chapter 32. A Pact

AURELIA

My heart raced, and I could taste the saltiness of my sweat despite the cold. The figures emerging from the water were unmistakably demons. Even though they appeared in human form and seemed weaker than I remembered, they were clearly not human.

I watched as Freya hastily untied the little girls one by one, stepping back to a safe distance while maintaining her gaze on the advancing demons.

“Great and powerful creatures,” Freya cried out, her voice trembling with a mix of reverence and fear. “Behold, the feast we have prepared for you. A token of our appreciation. Mercy upon us, mighty ones!”

The air filled with a series of growls as the demons, still shrouded in darkness, began to move slowly toward the already shivering girls. Their cries pierced the night, their pleas for help mingling with the demons’ low growls.

This is unacceptable! I thought, my resolve hardening. By the gods, I must end this madness.

I wanted to intervene immediate