For one second, everything stood still. Aria’s hand hovered over Kael’s chest, trembling as power gathered around her fingers. The force between them was so strong that the ground beneath Kael’s knees had already cracked.
He did not move. He did not try to stop her. He simply looked at her. “Do it,” he said quietly. Aria’s breath broke. Tears filled her eyes as her hand shook harder.
“I don’t want to,” she whispered. The voice inside her answered immediately.
“Execution required.”
Her body tightened. Her power surged. I said stop! she screamed. But this time, it did not listen. Her hand slammed forward. The impact sent a shockwave through the clearing.
Kael’s body was thrown backward with violent force, crashing into the broken ground several feet away. The air burst outward as the en
