Chapter 202. Showdown with Auraya

Celeste’s POV

I was genuinely relieved when Eryndor reappeared on the dusty road before the village—relieved to have him back at my side. I hadn’t expected him to arrive with company, though, and I certainly didn’t anticipate that this unexpected guest would turn hostile almost the instant she set foot here.

The newcomer, a young woman with sleek, raven-black hair, wasted no time. She brought her sword down in a vicious arc toward the hard-packed earth beneath my feet. I barely had a moment to register the attack before I jumped clear, feeling the sword’s edge slice through the dust where I’d stood.

“Auraya?! What the hell are you doing?!” Eryndor shouted, stroking his hand through his long silver hair in disbelief. His voice carried the name of his companion—Auraya—reverberating in the warm air.

Auraya’s expression was eerily calm as she lowered her sword. “Don’t worry, Eryndor—I’m not planning to kill her.” She tucked a strand of dark hair behind her