Lilia couldn't believe what she had just heard. Had Zethan really meant what he said? She didn't have time to process it fully—her wide eyes and stunned silence spoke louder than words.
Zethan's chilling laughter cut through her haze, the sound cold and hollow, like shards of ice scraping against stone. He added casually, as if it were an afterthought, "Don't worry. You've got all the time in the world to think. When you're ready, I'll be waiting."
For a moment, her body froze. The weight of his words bore down on her like an unseen force, pinning her to the spot. Then, as if a switch flipped, her instincts kicked in. Without a single word, she turned and shoved the gate open with trembling hands, the creak of the iron hinges echoing into the night. She bolted, her legs carrying her faster than they ever had before.
She didn't look back.
"Just leave," she whispered to herself, the words like a mantra, barely audible over the thudding of her heartbeat.
