The crowd just stood there, frozen in place. Not a single person had the guts to intervene.

Even so, Karl growled at the onlookers, his voice dripping with menace. "I dare any of you idiots to step in and save her! Come on, let’s see who’s got the backbone!"

He was like a lunatic on a rampage.

That’s when a voice cut through the tense silence: sharp, clear, and cold as ice. "Karl!"

He stiffened. From my upside-down ...