Just as Katelyn was about to pop a berry into her mouth, an invisible force bound her. It was as if she had been ensnared by an unseen rope. Panic surged through her veins, freezing her in place.
"Why can't I move?" she muttered, frustration and fear mixing in her voice as she struggled to make even the smallest movement. Her eyes darted around, searching for an explanation.
Suddenly, Althea came running over, her face a mask of concern, and swatted the berries out of Katelyn's hand. "Those are poisonous!"
"Huh?" Katelyn's mind whirled with confusion as the grip of the invisible rope loosened its hold, revealing that the spell was Althea's protective gesture. "How could that be? They looked like any other berry."
"Yes, they are quite poisonous, Princess," Iyana chimed in, approaching them with a calmness that contrasted with the tension in the air.
