The moment Mina's soft, cheerful, "My name is Mina," drifted into the clearing, the air went suspiciously silent. Seraphis tried not to blink. She unconsciously held her breath. Her eyes locked onto the bandaged woman, holding the heavy grief buried deep like molten stone.
For some reason, she felt the grief reflected in Mina's eyes. Of course, that woman, too, had a past. But no amount of grief would justify her taking the life of her husband and kidnapping her child, whom she desperately hoped was still alive.
The silence was disturbed, but it wasn't Mina who moved first.
A ripple tore through the treeline behind Eleyn. Three figures exploded from the shadows in perfect formation: two men and a woman. Their expressions were contorted with a raw hatred that seemed carved into their bones. They didn't roar or snarl like the typical goons — they attacked with the quiet efficiency of people driven only by the desire to kill.
Eleyn didn't even bother turning fully.
