Nyxia's POV
A loud, pulsing whirr cut through the air, shattering the tense silence around us. I looked up, blinking against the onslaught of dust and dirt blown down by the churning blades. Above us, a helicopter hovered, its spotlight slicing through the early morning mist and casting sharp, jagged shadows across the grounds.
“Hey, princess,” Alex called, his voice rising above the din, “I think our ride’s here.” He winked, though the strain in his voice was clear. His usual smug confidence was barely holding against the chaotic mess we’d created. Alaric growled, his gaze zeroing in on Alex, muscles bunching as if he was barely holding himself back.
A flick of Alex’s hand, and a set of glowing red chains snaked through the air, snapping around Alaric and each guard nearby, locking the
