At Harper's yell, the world seemed to come to a still. Time slowed into a dull spin and even the plants around stopped moving. It was as if they were pausing to listen to her trembling heart as it shattered into pieces.
Breathing was difficult and with each step she took, her chest constricted so painfully that she thought she'd choke from the torment.
At first, she thought maybe her mind was playing a trick on her. But then her eyes locked with Viktor and reality dawned on her.
“U…uncle Vik?!” She stuttered, her voice cracking as the bitter prick of tears stung at her eyelids. Her uncle looked almost unrecognizable, almost like a scrawny old man in distress.
Panic scratched at the back of her throat, and she swallowed hard with shocked, widened eyes. No, she didn't know this man! Her
