The air shifted instantly and every muscle in the room went rigid, especially Violet's. She was certain she hadn't told the witch her name.
Her voice was taut, eyes narrowing to sharp slits. "What did you just say?"
The once-timid Janice now wore an unsettling smirk. "You heard me, Violet."
She dragged out the name intentionally, savoring it. Then her lips curved wider, her voice dipping to a mocking purr. "Father says hi."
The words landed like poison and Violet's chest tightened, fury rushing in to fill the space. She moved without thinking, her palm shooting forward as a raw surge of power exploded from it.
The blast struck Janice dead-on. The witch flew backward, hitting the wall with bone-jarring force. Stone and plaster shattered, collapsing outward in a cloud of dust and debris. The crack of impact reverberated down the corridor, leaving a jagged, gaping hole where the wall had stood.
