The ice was still melting.
Mist drifted through the room, thin and pale, when the sound came.
A soft ding broke the silence.
I went still.
The translucent tab appeared in front of me.
Quest: Display explicit sexual show — Failed.
Punishment: 1000 Villainess points deducted.
Total points: 9000.
I barely finished reading.
Pain hit.
My breath vanished. One second I was standing, the next something crushed into the center of my chest so hard my vision went white. My hand flew to my heart. My knees gave out.
The floor met me before I understood I was falling.
My fingers twisted into the fabric over my chest. The pain wasn't just pain. It felt wrong. Like something inside me had been pulled loose. Like losing something I couldn't name but knew had been there.
My mouth opened. Nothing came out.
Nero!!
The pain surged again, deeper, heavier. My body curled on instinct, breaths breaking into shallow, useless gasps.
What was that. I thought I would only lose points, not this.
