Chapter 8. Confrontation and Capture

Celeste’s POV

The moment those words cut through the air, an icy wave of dread engulfed me. My entire body seized up for a split second before instinct took over. I sprang to my feet, my heart hammering against my ribs, and slid into the shadow cast by Nyra’s broad form. The forest around us went eerily still, as if every creature paused to witness the confrontation.

My voice was barely more than a breath, yet it shook with raw terror. “Please, don’t move a muscle,” I whispered, quivering. Beads of sweat formed at my hairline, and each breath felt razor-sharp in my chest.

Nora’s presence before us was like a gathering storm. She stood unmoving and unblinking, her posture exuding lethal confidence. In her dark, merciless eyes, I saw no hint of mercy—only the calculation of a predator sizing up her prey. I knew with absolute certainty that if she chose to strike me down, I’d be gone before I even realized it.

Her laughter cut through the tension next, lo