Jodie's eyes were transfixed on the anguished face of a statue. Its mouth was frozen in a silent scream, and its eyes bulged in horror. The statue stood tall, its stone surface eerily lifelike, capturing the exact moment of terror when the man's fate was sealed. Valiah Hundra had done this. Jodie was so sure of it as the air around her seemed to vibrate with the weight of her mother's rage, which still lingered, palpable and menacing.
Valiah Hundra's footsteps echoed softly as she approached Jodie, her presence announced by the subtle rustle of her long, black coat. She stopped beside Jodie, her gaze following her daughter's to the statue's twisted face.
For a moment, the two stood there in silence, the only sound the distant whisper of wind through the trees outside. The statue which had been placed on a very low platform, loomed over them as a haunting reminder of Valiah Hundra's power and the price of displeasing her.
