"Stop."
Bernard's voice fell dry, without rising too much, but charged with a firmness that left no room for doubt. There was no need to repeat it.
The claw stopped.
Barely a few centimeters from Lucia's neck, the sharp points remained suspended in the air, so close that a slight advance would have been enough to tear the skin.
The glow of the eye in the gauntlet's palm pulsed once more before stabilizing, projecting that invisible pressure that remained latent, until it vanished.
Lucia didn't move.
Her eyes, dark and serene, remained fixed ahead. There was no tension in her posture, not a single gesture that betrayed fear or urgency. Her breathing remained calm, as if the threat were nothing more than a minor annoyance.
Katerina reacted instantly.
She spun on herself brusquely, the movement dragged the air around her and the gauntlet's plates emitted a faint metallic friction as they shifted.
