"If you take one more step, I'll never forgive you!"
His words were like a spell.
As if rooted to the spot by his words, Vera felt all her strength drain away in an instant. Her left foot felt as if it were glued to the step, impossibly heavy.
Rigidly, she stayed put, breathing deeply and trying to lift her foot, but it felt pinned down by an invisible force.
Taking a deep breath, she withdrew her right foot and turned on the step to face the man below. Through a blur of tears and rain, his figure was indistinct.
Standing on the steps, she clenched her small fists and screamed at him.
"Kris Cooper, will this ever end?"
"No!"
The man's voice burned with a rage even fiercer than hers.
Stepping over a puddle on the ground, he ascended the stairs, one deliberate step at a time, drawing closer to her.
Nathan Leafcastle stepped back down one stair, placing himself protectively in front of Vera.
"You are not allowed to hurt her."
