Mother
The tension between us had been a brief reprieve, a stolen moment in the chaos. But as we regrouped, the weight of what was to come settled back over us like a heavy shroud. The castle halls felt colder, darker.
Every shadow seemed to move, twitching at the edges of my vision as if waiting to pounce. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation and dread.
Thalia's voice cut through the silence, her tone commanding. "We need to move. Thalira and her mother are likely regrouping, and we can't give them the chance to strike first."
Lucie nodded beside her, her eyes sharp and calculating. "Thalira's mother, Nyxira, is old, dangerous. She's wielded dark magic longer than most of us have been alive. If she's involved, this goes beyond personal grudges. She's after something bigger."