As Nicolai stood before us, the weight of his words settled heavily on my chest. I could feel Andrus' presence behind me, a steady force, but even he couldn’t shield me from the dread crawling up my spine. Celeste's voice echoed in my mind, urging me to stall for time.
“Andrus will open up another gate. Be ready.” Celeste whispered through our mindlink.
I took a deep breath and met Nicolai’s gaze, his eyes gleaming with cold amusement, and I knew I had to act quickly. I stepped forward, hoping to buy us a few precious seconds.
"What about my grandfather?" I asked, my voice steady, even though my heart pounded in my chest. "Was everything you told me about what happened during the Tyrant Hunt a lie? Did you also kill my grandfather?"
Nicolai's expression shifted slightly, a smirk pulli
