With a determined expression, Charlotte began to release her grip on the time-stop, allowing the Cabal members to become unfrozen once more.

  The air felt electric with anticipation as the Cabal members regained their ability to move and react. They looked around, realizing what had just happened.

  "What?! What the hell?!" Brittany exclaimed, shock and anger in her voice. "Who froze us?"

  The other Cabal members echoed Brittany's surprise, looking around at their surroundings. Cassie quickly turned her attention to Charlotte, Elara, and the others, realizing they were the cause of their temporary immobilization. Using telepathy, Cassie communicated with the two simultaneously from afar.

  "You two…y'know I see ya, right~?" Cassie said, her voice echoing in the two girls' minds.

  "Oh? Can ya now~?" Cassie taunted, her tone oozing with arrogance. "I don't think so. Not after what you just pulled."

  "Damn, she can hear our thoughts!" Elara grunted to Charlotte, trying to quickly clear her mind of any thoughts.

  Charlotte took a deep breath, mentally bracing herself for what might come. "She's probing your thoughts," she warned Elara grimly. "She'll know our tactics before we even think of them if we don't keep our minds clear."

  The Cabal members, their shock wearing off, began to advance toward the spot where Elara, Charlotte, and the others were hiding. The air grew tense as the imminent confrontation became more real.

  Charlotte nodded understandingly, catching on to Elara's subtle hint. "Right!" she replied, keeping her thoughts shielded. "Hikaru can create portals."

  Cassie interjected with a mocking tone. "Portal, eh? Ha, y'all can't get anything past me, dolls~"

  Elara gritted her teeth, trying to ignore Cassie's smug demeanor. "Damn it," she hissed to herself. "You weren't supposed to say it out loud, Charlotte, now she knows!”

  Charlotte facepalmed internally, mentally cursing herself for inadvertently tipping Cassie off. "It was a slip up," she muttered apologetically, focusing harder to keep her thoughts shielded.

  Cassie chuckled to herself. "Aw, looks like you accidentally confirmed it for me, didn't ya~?" she teased.

  Elara scowled at the reminder. "Damn it, she's right. We just gave her a big advantage," she muttered, frustration evident on her face. "We need to adjust our plan, fast."

  Charlotte nodded in agreement, her focus undeterred. "Agreed. We can't afford to let her have an edge. Let's adapt. Clear our minds of all thoughts, don't let her read them.”

  Elara took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind of any potential revealing thoughts. "Copy that," she said quietly.

  Cassie, continuing to probe their minds, chuckled. "Aww! Trying to shield your thoughts now? Too late, darlin's. I already know enough~”

  Charlotte gritted her teeth, pushing even harder to protect their thoughts. "Don't listen to her," she whispered to Elara. "She's trying to mess with us."

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Cassie, sensing their struggle, taunted them further. "Ah, this is getting amusing. You two really think you can keep me out? Oh, how cute~”

  Elara clenched her fists tighter, feeling the mental strain of resisting Cassie's probing. "We have to keep her out until Hikaru can make a move," she muttered firmly. "We need to buy time."

  Charlotte, equally determined, kept her focus fixed on shielding their thoughts. "Just a little longer," she whispered, her eyes closing slightly to concentrate harder.

  Cassie continued to taunt the two, "Oh, you two are trying so hard. It's adorable, truly it is. You know, the more you struggle, the more I wanna poke inside your minds~”

  Elara gritted her teeth, feeling Cassie's words digging under her skin. "Damn smartass..." she muttered through gritted teeth.

  Charlotte, equally aggravated, kept her mind shielded. "Stay strong, can't let her get to us," she whispered, her focus unwavering.

  Cassie continued to revel in their struggle, her taunting escalating. "Come on, dolls. Just give in. It'll be soooo much easier if you stop struggling~”

  Elara clenched her fists even tighter, her mental fortitude faltering slightly under Cassie's insistent probing. "Damn her..damn it..." she muttered under her breath, frustration seeping into her voice.

  Charlotte, her own mental shield cracking slightly as well, gritted her teeth. "Stay calm," she whispered, trying to maintain her focus.

  Cassie, sensing their weakening mental barriers, chuckled even more, her taunting growing more intense. "Aww, you two are cracking up. Give in to me, let me read your thoughts, give in to the inevitable~"

  Charlotte cracked under the pressure, calling forth Hikaru with a sharp yell. Hikaru teleported to her side in an instant, looking at her, then the Cabal members off in the distance, specifically Cassie.

  Elara, watching the scene unfold, breathed a small sigh of relief as Hikaru materialized next to Charlotte. "Finally," she murmured, her mind still trying to stay strong.

  Cassie, sensing Elara's relief, smirked. "Looks like you're getting desperate, huh, doll~? Calling in the 'portal girl' for help?"

  "Hikaru's not a girl," Charlotte corrected, "They're non-binary.”

  Cassie chuckled, unfazed by the correction. "Whatever you say, darlin'," she replied, her tone dripping with mockery. "But that's not gonna stop me from reading your thoughts, all three of ya."

  Elara, her mental shield still cracking slightly, couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance at Cassie's tone. "Shut up, you arrogant witch!" she snapped under her breath.

  "Aha, look who mislabeled someone now! I'm not a witch, I'm a demon~”

  Charlotte sighed, trying to rein in Elara's temper. "Ignore her," she whispered. "She's trying to provoke us."

  Elara huffed, still irritated. "I can't see her from over here, but she sounds like she has such a punchable face..." she muttered under her breath.

  Cassie cackled at Elara's remark, "Oh, you want to punch me, eh?" she taunted. "Go ahead, doll. Try it! I dare ya~"

  After Cassie's taunt, the demon poked her head through a portal she made, staring dead at the two girls with a taunting grin.

  Elara clenched her fists tighter, a mix of anger and frustration bubbling within her. "I'd love to punch that smirk right off your face, you smug little..." she muttered furiously.

  Charlotte, sensing Elara's rising temper, froze Cassie in time and put a hand on Elara's shoulder. "Calm down," she hissed quietly. "We need you focused, not angry."

  She then turned to Hikaru, "Hikaru...do the honors, please?"

  With a nod, Hikaru enveloped the Cabal members in a space-time field, teleporting them far away from the scene.

  Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief as the Cabal members vanished from sight. "That's better," she whispered, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.

  Elara, still shaken, glanced at Cassie's frozen form. "She looks ridiculous," she muttered, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "At least frozen she's quiet."

  "Yeah...This is much easier than freezing the rest of her cronies, but since this demon is still very powerful on her own, it'll be difficult to keep her frozen for long.”

  Elara nodded, her smirk still present. "Agreed," she said, a touch of satisfaction in her voice. "It's nice not having her constant insults to deal with. But you're right, she's incredibly strong. And freezing her like this must be taxing on your aura. Let's hope the others make quick work of Gabrielle before then…”