CW: blood, torture
But her hesitation only further fueled their fury. One of the captors grabbed her roughly by her neck, his grip tight and painful. "You will tell us everything, witch," he growled, his face mere inches from hers.
Sophia's breath caught in her throat as she stared into his eyes, her own a mix of defiance and desperation.
She knew that whatever she said next could determine her fate, but the truth was a double-edged sword that could cut both ways.
Just as one of them was about to lash the whip again, Sophia braced herself. But the sudden and unexpected entrance of Queen Mother silenced the room and brought everything to a standstill.
The air seemed to shift as the imposing figure of the Queen Mother filled the doorway. Her presence was suffused with an aura of authority that commanded immediate attention.
Her eyes, like cold steel, swept over the scene with a mixture of horror and curiosity.
