Chapter 235: Forced Hesitation
She didn’t know if it was from the cold... or from everything else.
I loved him, she thought.
Beyond the plexiglass, Torv’s eyes widened. His grip tightened around the rifle, arms tense, sights locked on the containment zone. His legs shifted into firing posture, but the barrel twitched slightly—uncertainty creeping in.
Beside him, Mira’s hand pressed firmly to his forearm. "Wait," she said, voice low, her braid swinging as she leaned toward the main terminal. "Let’s not jump."
A loud chirp blared from the central console. Motion detected. Integrity breach confirmed.
Lykos tapped his earpiece, voice gravel-thick and flat. "Commander’s en route. Hold your ground."
The containment chamber’s curtains parted a second later.
Elara burst through—shoulders squared, boots loud against the polished floor. Her uniform was crisp, but her posture had slipped. Golden strands of hair had pulled loose from her tight knot, one falling across her cheek as she scanned the fractured scene ahead.
Cubes followed close behind, its surface refracting ambient light, soft trails of chill vapor spreading through the entryway. The temperature dropped slightly. Enough to sharpen the edge of the ozone-rich air.
Elara stopped mid-stride.
Her eyes locked on Elias.