CLANG!
The bowl that Lira had been collecting from the left table hit the floor with a sharp, cracking sound that echoed through the tiny shop, scattering fragments across the tiles.
Lira stood frozen—paralyzed.
Her breath caught in her throat, eyes wide, pupils dilated. It wasn't just surprise. It was terror. Horror.
As if she'd just seen a nightmare claw its way into waking reality.
Her trembling hands hovered uselessly in the air, the ladle still clutched loosely in her fingers. Her mouth opened slightly, but no words came—only a short, broken exhale.
Her legs locked in place, every muscle stiff with an old, instinctive fear.
All because her eyes were fixated—on the door. On him.
Cruxius.
A cold shiver ran down her spine like a blade.
