"A-Aria-!" Adrian screamed, but his voice was heard only in his mind.
The girl, Aria, unfazed, raised her voice once more, firm and commanding.
"Stop!"
Her tone held an unmistakable authority, and to Adrian's surprise, the incoming wind attack halted mid-air, freezing in place just inches from her body.
Evangeline's eyes widened slightly, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden stop. But her shock quickly morphed into coldness.
Her lips curled back into a sneer, and with another flick of her hand, flames erupted beneath Aria and engulfed her whole instantly.
"Hmph."
Evangeline's sneer deepened as she remained atop Adrian, sure that the disturbance had been erased. The heat from her flames licked the air around Aria, engulfing her in a blaze that should have turned her to ashes. Yet, something was off.
The fire wasn't moving.
No—Aria was moving.
