"Did you find something you like?" Zyren asked, his voice dipped in sly amusement, a purr of knowing threaded through his tone that he made no attempt to hide. It slithered into Aria's ears, making her spine lock and her throat burn. She didn't dare say no.
Her whole body began to tremble, her hands clenched tightly at her sides as her breath hitched in her chest. Her lips parted, and when she spoke, her voice cracked, laden with disbelief and dread. "It's my sister," she breathed, the words barely leaving her lips. The fear in her voice was undeniable, raw and thick, cutting through the space between them. "She's on the stage."
But she'd scarcely gotten the words out when the auctioneer's booming voice filled the theater again, sharp and callous, completely devoid of compassion.
