“Understood,” Luca said. “Take care.”
“You too,” I said.
I slipped the phone back into my pocket, my mind already racing with the next steps. The wheels were in motion now. There was no turning back.
The clearing was quiet, the thick forest muffling the world outside. The only sound was the soft crunch of leaves beneath my boots as I stepped into the open space. The air was cool, laced with the scent of pine and damp earth, and my shadows flickered faintly at my sides, restless as always.
Eldora was already at the agreed-upon location. She’d done as I asked her to yesterday when I’d stepped out of the safehouse while Vivian showered to call her and request books on anything she could find pertaining to the siren’s kiss and the Ashen faction.
A small satchel was slung over her shoulder, its weight pulling it low against her hip. She straightened as soon as she saw me, her face lighting up with relief.
“Raffaele!” she called, crossing the clearing in long strides.
Before I could say a word, she threw her arms around my neck, pulling me into a tight hug. The unexpected gesture startled me, but I found myself returning it, my arms circling her slender frame. Eldora wasn’t one for displays of affection, but I could feel the tension in her body, the unspoken weight of everything she’d been holding together in my absence.
“It’s been awful without you,” she said, her voice muffled against my shoulder. “The staff is on edge. Your father is making his presence known more and more every day. He’s—” She pulled back, her sharp green eyes meeting mine. “He’s insistingyou be brought to him immediately. He won’t listen to anything I say.”
I clenched my jaw, a wave of anger surging through me. “What did you tell him?”
“That you were away on business. But he wouldn’t hear of it. He said he knew fucking better.” She exhaled shakily, her frustration plain. “Raffaele, I’m doing everything I can to keep things running smoothly, but?—”
“You’re doing fine. Better than fine. I knew I could trust you with this.”
She straightened, her lips pressing into a thin line, but I saw the hint of gratitude in her eyes.
“I need you to keep it up,” I continued. “Do whatever it takes to keep my father appeased. If that means feeding him fresh meat from the prisoners in the dungeons, then so be it. If he wants to be waited on hand and foot, indulge him. Just buy me time, Eldora. I’m working on a plan.”
She nodded, though her brows furrowed.
“To complicate matters, The Ashen are testing us,” I said, my voice darkening. “They’ve already attacked the crops with seawater to see if my magic would stop them. I need you to inform the first tier of guards to set up surveillance along the sea. If there’s any sign of intrusion, I want to know immediately.”
Eldora shifted her satchel, pulling it forward and opening the clasp. She pulled out several books. “These are the most comprehensive texts I could find on the siren’s kiss and the Ashen faction. It’s not much, but it’s a start.”
“Good.” I reached out, taking the books from her and tucking them under one arm.
She hesitated, her lips pressing together as if holding back more. “Raffaele,” she said carefully, “are you sure about this? About staying away?”
“Vivian is my priority,” I said simply. “As long as my father is out of control and the Ashen are circling, I can’t bring her back. She’s safest here.”
Eldora nodded, though the tension in her posture didn’t ease.
Before I could say more, a sudden wave of panic slammed into me through the bond, sharp and overwhelming.
Vivian.
I turned sharply, my eyes scanning the forest around us as the fight-or-flight response kicked in. My shadows flared instinctively, though they were weak and fleeting.
“What’s wrong?” Eldora asked in alarm.
“I’ve been gone too long. She’s panicking.”
Eldora stepped forward, her concern etched across her face. “Go. Now.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. Clutching the books tightly, I turned and bolted through the trees, my feet pounding against the forest floor. The bond thrummed with her fear, driving me forward with reckless urgency.
The forest blurred around me, my singular focus on reaching the safehouse as fast as possible. Each step felt like an eternity, the panic coursing through the bond only intensifying with every passing second.
“Hold on, Vivian,” I muttered under my breath, my voice a desperate whisper. “I’m coming.”
