"If Valex sets foot in the mine, you'll find Julie's father's corpse shipped from Japan in a box. — L.N."
As soon as I read the message, my world ground to a halt. My breath froze. The mine, the crystal, the kingdom... everything faded into a blur. Before my eyes, only my father's smiling face appeared—his gentle warmth searing itself into this moment.
"No..." The word escaped my lips as a shattered whisper.
Alex noticed the color drain from my cheeks. He immediately took hold of my shoulders. "Julie? What happened?"
I didn’t say a word. My hands trembling, I handed him the phone. He read the message, and thunder clouds rose in his eyes. His lips pressed into a thin, ruthless line.
"This is a trap," he said, voice harsh but tinged with uncertainty. The enemy had learned to strike righ
