Chapter 34: Moonstone (2)

"Let her go, Nikolai!" Nikolai tilted his head to one side, his gaze locked menacingly on the dark fairy trapped in his grasp. His eyes, filled with a twisted sense of delight, watched as tears began to form in Esmeralda’s amber eyes. The sight brought him a perverse pleasure, knowing that he could end her life with the flick of his wrist. “If you kill her, you’ll regret it,” Ophelia said, her voice barely above a whisper as she took tentative steps toward them. She clenched her hands into fists, taking deep, measured breaths to steady herself. The smirk on Nikolai’s face, a chilling reminder of his sadistic nature, made her stomach churn. Nikolai’s smile wavered at Ophelia’s words, but he did not shift his focus. Ophelia could see the cold, unfeeling expression on his face, and her own anxiety grew, making her hands tremble. The sight of him staring at her with that emotionless gaze was unsettling, and she struggled to keep her composure. “Let her go, Nikolai,” she repeated, her v