From the shadows stepped a tall figure, his face hidden behind a smooth, expressionless black mask. No hesitation. No pause. Just purpose.
Ella's heart skipped. Her instincts screamed at her to run, but her body was frozen. It was as sure as day that this wasn't Eric. Whoever this person is, he has no good intentions.
Then, without a single word, the masked man lifted both arms. A sharp gust of air whooshed through the room, and in the blink of an eye, spirals of concentrated wind began to swirl viciously around his forearms like coiled serpents. The pressure in the room shifted. Her hair whipped across Ella's face, and her eyes widened in terror.
"Help—!" she gasped.
But it was too late.
