Belle screamed, begged, and thrashed beneath the weight of the men until her voice cracked and faded. Then she watched, in painful, helpless anticipation, as he lifted the dagger and brought it down with force toward her stomach, and immediately, she shut her eyes.
Belle had expected the painful plunge of the dagger into her, but instead, she felt a chill seep into her bones, followed by thunder and the sound of something else ripping through the air. The grip of the men holding her suddenly loosened, and she heard them curse loudly as they all scattered away from her.
Belle's heart raced. She wondered anxiously what had made them stop and back away… or what had caused the air around her to turn frigid, still, and unbearably heavy.
Unable to stop herself from looking, she risked peeking through her wet lashes before finally opening her eyes.
