Celeste's POV
*****
9:55 am, Crimson Expanse Audience section.
My heart hammered against my ribs, fingers tapping my legs nervously.
Above the crimson field, a large holographic screen levitated, showing the witches as they faced their trials. And one of those witches happened to be Atlas.
"What's going on with him?" Willow nearly got on her feet, pointing at the screen. "He's barely moved after they stopped that earth storm. And… his face."
I saw it too.
It wasn't just Atlas—even Inari covered her ears, gritting her teeth and closing her eyes like she was being haunted.
The more seconds that passed, the more feelings that weren't mine hit me through the bond.
Unease. Disbelief. Fear…
None of it was mine.
"Atlas," I mumbled, head tilting. "What is he—"
"Illusions," Caelum mumbled beside me. He'd say close to us when the witch trials kicked off. "It seems like it. I've seen that same look on people's faces when I used illusion magic. Except this feels… much worse."
