#Chapter 323: Midnight Reverie

Olivia My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as Nathan paced the room, laying out his plans on how to deal with the witch. “Honestly, Olivia, it sounds like it should be straightforward enough,” he said, conviction filling his voice. “All we need to do is trap her in her own hut. Layla told us that a circle of salt is supposed to neutralize her magic, right? Then we set the place on fire, and it’s done. Over. Easy.” Easy. His words hung in the air like a cloud, heavy and dark. The thought of taking a life—witch or not—clawed at my conscience. Nothing about it seemed even remotely close to ‘easy’. In fact, the very thought of it made me sick. But what choice did we have? The witch held a claim over Aurora, and who knew how many more innocent lives would be tarnished if she remained a threat? “I wish it didn’t have to be this way,” I mumbled, the weight of our choices pressing down on me. “No one should have to die, you know?” Nathan paused his pacing t