Page 107 of The Naga Lord's Pretty Little Mouse

My breath heaves against my ribs, rage rising like a tide.

I spit at him.

It lands on his cheek, glistening against his smooth, porcelain skin.

Jalith stills.

His fingers tighten, his nails digging in, sharp enough to prick.

He smiles. Slow. Icy.

With eerie patience, he reaches into his robes and pulls out something small.

A ring.

My ring.

The artifact that had shielded me from his magic.

A thin, glimmering piece of hope.

His fingers roll it over his knuckles, examining it as if it were something trivial. A worthless trinket.

Cold dread seeps into my stomach.

"It’s been quite the nuisance," he murmurs. "I couldn’t reach you fully. Couldn’t bind you properly." His gaze flicks back to me. "But that changes now."

I lurch toward him again but I was too late.

Jalith snaps the ring between his fingers.

The metal shatters.

A violent pulse of magic erupts through the room, a shockwave rippling over my skin.

Then nothing.

I can feel the absence. A void where a shield once was.

Jalith watches me drink in the horror of it, his smirk widening.

"There," he hums, dusting his hands. "No more interference. No more barriers."

My nails dig into my palms, desperation twisting into fury.

I rip a nearby tray off the vanity, sending plates, goblets, and fruit crashing against the walls. A vase follows, shattering into a thousand shards.

He doesn’t flinch.

I hurl a candelabra.

Jalith catches it midair, unimpressed, then tosses it aside like garbage.

His patience, the unshakable calm makes me want to scream.

I lash out again, charging toward him, but the magic is too strong. The collar tightens, dragging me back down, pinning me to my knees.

Jalith approaches slowly, crouching before me once more, his breath warm against my temple.

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