You saw Alysha

Seraphina’s steps were slow, calculated, as she closed the distance between herself and Alora. Her eyes glinted with a mix of false warmth and something far darker. She reached out, her fingers brushing against Alora’s cheek, her touch deceptively gentle. “You are so beautiful, Alora,” she murmured, her tone sweet. “Those big golden curls and those baby blue eyes... like a doll.”

Alora, trembling, tried to muster a smile, her eyes flicking up to meet Seraphina’s. But it was a weak, fragile attempt, and the fear in her eyes was unmistakable.

In an instant, Seraphina’s grip shifted from gentle to vicious. Her fingers wrapped tightly around Alora’s throat, squeezing with a sudden, terrifying force. Alora’s eyes widened, a choked gasp escaping her lips as her hands instinctively went to Seraphina’s wrist, her body jerking in shock.

Seraphina’s face twisted, her teeth bared as she leaned in, her voice a hiss. “You saw Alysha Jarl, didn’t you?” she snarled, her grip tightening. Alora’s eye