In that very moment, just as confidence surged through Charlotte's veins and a smirk played on her lips, a strange unease took root in her chest.
Her breath caught.
Her body, moments ago agile and fluid, suddenly felt stiff—uncooperative, foreign.
The air around her felt heavier, as though she were submerged underwater.
A sinking weight settled in her limbs.
'What is happening to me?' Charlottethought, alarm flashing in her eyes.
Her muscles refused to relax, the ease in her stance slipping away like sand through her fingers.
There was no wound, no visible cause—just a deep, creeping sense that something was terribly wrong.
Before she could investigate further—
Arthur launched himself forward with a roar of unrestrained fury.
His form blurred with speed, and this time, his blade found its mark.
A sharp sting shot through her arm as the rapier carved a shallow line across her flesh.
Blood welled up immediately, dripping down in slow, rhythmic patterns.
