Liora's body trembled violently in the man's grip, her eyes wide and glassy with fear as tears streamed down her face. She struggled weakly, her hands clutching at his arm, but it was useless. The blade pressed too close to her skin, just enough to keep her still. A broken sound escaped her throat, something between a sob and a plea, and it twisted something sharp in my chest.
Behind them, the man I had pierced was still alive.
I looked up at him slowly, my expression hardening as he laughed through the blood spilling from his mouth, each breath uneven and ragged. The ice still held him in place, but it had not silenced him. If anything, it seemed to amuse him.
"Leave her," I said, my voice cold and steady despite everything building underneath it.
He grinned, teeth stained red, his gaze locking onto mine with something unhinged. "You seem to know her," he said, his voice rough with pain and mockery. "So no."
My jaw tightened.
