Chapter 218. Velvet’s Challenge

Celeste’s POV

Velvet sprinted along the south face of the castle walls, weaving between fallen banners and toppled stools, her keen eyes searching frantically for anyone who might pose a fight. Above her, twisting smoke and the distant clang of metal echoed through the battlements, but Velvet scarcely registered the chaos. All she cared about was finding an opponent worthy of her strength. That’s when she spotted a lone figure perched on a rooftop, watching the turmoil unfold with an unsettling calm.

Velvet slowed to a cautious trot, then came to a halt once she was close enough to call out. “You’re Lira, right? Celeste’s so-called friend?” Her voice was even, but the tension in her shoulders spoke volumes.

The woman on the roof tilted her head, her smile curving in a way that sent a chill down Velvet’s spine. Clad head to toe in a flowing black dress that looked as though it had been spun from midnight itself, Lira’s presence seemed to darken the very ston