"God help us," Alisha gasped, her breath hitching in a throat constricted by terror. She crept toward Serene, her eyes fixed on the girl's tranquil, frozen features. The stillness was haunting.
"Roland, we are undone. We are dead. If Lucius discovers she has perished, he will butcher us both."
Trembling violently, she began to gnaw at her fingernails, her gaze darting toward him. He stood there, unmoving, wearing a smile that was as sharp as it was enigmatic.
"Why are you smiling? Have you lost your mind? She is dead!" her voice rose in a frantic whisper. "Undo this cursed incantation! We must do something, anything!"
Roland began to advance. His steps were slow, rhythmic, and heavy with a predatory grace that stirred the embers of an ancient fear within her. Involuntarily, Alisha recoiled.
