Chapter 32 Aria

• "Don’t come any closer!" The woman’s voice rings with a mix of desperation and threat. She grips my shoulder tightly, her sweaty hand trembling slightly, while the other holds the knife against my neck. The cold metal brushes against my skin, and my breath becomes shallow, controlled, trying to avoid any movement that could make the blade sink deeper.
• Caelum raises his hands in a pacifying gesture, moving slowly, his steps deliberate, each movement a careful attempt to keep the situation from exploding into violence. There’s something in the way he moves, a contained confidence, a silent strength. His presence stirs a mix of emotions within me. How did he find me here?
• "You don’t need to do this, ma’am," Caelum says, his voice low and soft, almost like a whisper trying to calm the chaos. "Believe me, I can help you."