Freed, But At What Cost?

The air was thick with heat, the molten river below bubbling and churning, sending thick crimson vapors into the air, wrapping around the two figures like a suffocating embrace. 

The cliffside trembled under the weight of the scorching winds, but neither Asher nor Rebecca moved—locked in a silent war of wills.

Asher's dark yellow eyes burned into Rebecca's gaze, his expression unreadable as he stepped closer, his movements slow yet deliberate.

Rebecca clenched her fists, her breath shallow, but she refused to look away, even as her body stiffened.

"You know who she is, and you kept it from me all this time?" Asher's voice was cold, controlled—but beneath it, there was an underlying edge, a weight that made Rebecca's pulse quicken.

She swallowed hard, but she wouldn't let him see her waver. Instead, she squared her shoulders, lifting her chin in defiance.