The cold wind howled across the clearing, rattling the trees like bones. The snow around Nicole churned as Chantelle's fury erupted into the air, a manifestation of shadows and venom.
"You won't win!" Chantelle shrieked, throwing a bolt of pure darkness from her palm. The magic twisted through the air like a serpent.
Nicole's eyes widened—but she reacted.
She remembered Jasper's lessons: Never meet darkness head-on. Sidestep. Disrupt. Redirect.
She turned her body, favoring her right leg and rolling sideways onto one knee just as the bolt slammed into the ground behind her, sending snow and bark flying into the sky.
Chantelle snarled. "Pregnant or not, you're faster than I thought."
Nicole pulled herself to her feet, panting. Her arms trembled from the effort. Her stomach was heavy, tight—each movement a calculated gamble between pain and power.
"I may be slow…" Nicole muttered, steadying her breath, "but I'm not helpless."
