Elowen’s smile disappeared in an instant. The playful warmth in her expression turned ice-cold as she slowly raised her head to look at the couple. Her gaze was icy, as though she were staring at lifeless objects.
The air seemed to freeze around them. The moment her eyes shifted with intent, Evander’s hand came to rest gently on her shoulder, stopping her before she could act.
He stepped forward, positioning himself between his sister and the couple. His expression softened into a warm, apologetic smile as he nodded at them. “I’m so sorry. My sister wasn’t paying attention to where she was going. We apologize for startling you.”
His tone was sincere and humble as he tried to defuse the situation. The young man’s irritation eased slightly when he saw the genuine apology, particularly after noticing Evander’s polished demeanor.
Still, he couldn’t resist saying, “Just pay attention next time. What’s with the outfits anyway? You guys filming something?”
His girlfriend gave a dismissive snort and pulled on his arm. “Come on. Let’s go. No point talking to weirdos.”
The couple tossed out a few more remarks as they walked away with an air of superiority. Evander kept smiling as he watched them leave.
It wasn’t until the couple had walked a dozen yards away and disappeared into the crowd that Elowen finally spoke. Her voice was cold with displeasure. “Why did you stop me?”
He withdrew his gaze. Though he was still smiling and the warmth in his expression had deepened, his eyes held nothing but indifference. It was as if his earlier apology had been nothing more than brushing away a speck of dust.
Evander turned to look at Elowen and said softly, “Why bother with insects? We rarely get out like this. Don’t let them ruin your mood.”
“But it has already been ruined,” she said icily, looking down at the flattened taffy figure stuck on the ground. Elowen wasn’t upset about the ruined candy but about the disrespect those two had shown her.
Evander’s smile deepened, as if he had heard something amusing. His gaze drifted toward where the couple had gone. They were laughing and chatting as they headed toward the other side of the park, completely unaware of the attention they’d drawn.
“Should I kill them for you?” Evander asked casually, as if asking about dinner plans, except his eyes showed he wasn’t joking.
Elowen fell silent for a moment before shaking her head. Her red lips parted as she said, “No. I want them to wish they were dead.”
When she spoke, there was no anger in her expression, yet her words carried unmistakable cruelty.
“Okay.”
Evander nodded as if this were the most ordinary request imaginable. His left hand remained behind his back while his right hand was raised.
He formed a seal with his fingers and traced patterns in the air. The movements were light and subtle, drawing no one’s attention and stirring not even the slightest breeze.
In the distance, Dustin’s gaze had been fixed on them the entire time. He saw Evander raise his hand, but he couldn’t make out the exact movement. However, the casual gesture combined with the flash of cold focus in Evander’s eyes set off alarm bells in his mind.
Evander pointed lazily at the couple’s retreating backs from a distance. There was no light, no sound, and nothing visible at all.
But the next moment, the couple, who had walked more than 100 feet away, suddenly let out piercing screams that barely sounded human.
“My head! My body!”
They convulsed violently as if struck by an invisible sledgehammer before pitching forward onto the pavement. ement. Once down, they began thrashing and rolling wildly while clutching their heads with both hands.
Their faces twisted in agony as their eyes bulged and mouths gaped open. The guttural sounds and broken wails coming from them suggested they were enduring the cruelest torture imaginable while remaining fully conscious.
“What’s happening?”
“Someone collapsed!”
“Call 911!”
“Wait. Are they having seizures or epilepsy?”
The passerby around them froze in shock before rushing over seconds later. Some shouted for help, some tried to assist the couple, and others frantically dialed the helpline on their phones.
Chaos erupted as a crowd quickly formed around the couple. The onlookers blocked the view, but the screams still pierced through, sending chills down everyone’s spines.
Evander lowered his hand as if he’d just done something trivial and turned to Elowen with a warm smile.
“Now, are you satisfied?” he asked. She watched the chaos in the distance and listened to the faint screams. Her face returned to that ethereal, detached expression, as if she hadn’t just requested a cruel punishment moments ago.
Elowen let out a soft hum and turned toward another part of the park. Her steps were light, as if the incident had nothing to do with her.
