Aeris’s pov
My breath hitched the moment I saw him—the enemy who had haunted my nightmares standing right in front of me. It was as though time froze. My mind, my body—everything went numb, and for a terrifying moment, I couldn’t process what I was supposed to do. He shouldn’t be here. This wasn’t supposed to happen.
"How did you get inside?" I hissed through gritted teeth, my frustration mounting with every heartbeat. The realization that I had no weapon made my blood run cold. Just my luck—of all nights to be without a blade. I had only come out to the balcony for a breath of fresh air, a moment of solitude to escape my worries. But never did I expect my worst enemy to appear out of nowhere.
His silver mask gleamed under the moonlight, catching the glow like some twisted halo. But his
