I nodded, the urgency in his voice mirrored in my own pounding heartbeat. “We need to bring the mirror and my laptop. If we can access NexusCore from the chamber, I might be able to use it to pinpoint the object once we’re closer to it.”
“And then we destroy it,” he said. “Once and for all.”
“Yes,” I agreed, meeting his gaze. “We fucking destroy it.”
For a moment, we simply stared at each other. The bond between us thrummed with resolve, a lifeline anchoring us in the face of the unknown.
He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Are you sure about this, Vivian? If something goes wrong…”
“I’m sure,” I said firmly, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. “This ends now, Raffaele. Your father’s hold on this estate, on us, on you… It’s gone on long enough. We have everything we need to finish this.”
His eyes softened, and he cupped my face in his hands. “You amaze me. Every single day, you amaze me.”
I leaned into his touch, drawing strength from his presence.
Raffaele stepped back, his gaze tracing the contours of my body.
I blushed. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because,” he said, stepping even closer, his voice low and full of admiration, “you’re brilliant. Absolutely fucking brilliant. And I can’t believe you’re mine.”
Heat crept up my neck at the intensity in his gaze, but I brushed it off with a laugh. “I’ve always been brilliant, Raffaele. You’re just catching on now?”
“Don’t get smart with me,” he teased. “You’re not just brilliant, Vivian. You’re unstoppable. And I’m in awe of you.”
53
RAFFAELE
Icast an illusion over Vivian before we left the room so that her form melted seamlessly into the air around her. No one else would see her.
The bond between us pulsed with her trust, though I could feel the nervous energy coursing through her. Her hand in mine was the only proof of her presence, her warmth grounding me as we walked through the winding halls of the estate.
“Are you sure about this?”
Vivian’s grip on my hand tightened. “Don’t doubt me now, Raffaele. We don’t have a choice. This ends today.”
She carried the Mirror of Truths and her laptop under one arm, her stride steady despite the enormity of what lay ahead. Her resolve radiated through our bond, steel laced with the unmistakable undercurrent of fear. It mirrored my own emotions, though I couldn’t let mine show.
The heavy oak door of my private library groaned as I pushed it open. The scent of old parchment and leather filled the air. The smell had always brought me comfort. Today, it felt ominous.
Vivian released my hand and headed straight for the bookshelf in the corner. I watched as she traced her fingers along its edge.
“Here,” she said. “You need to touch it.”
I stepped forward hesitantly. My hand hovered over the ornate woodwork of the bookcase. Taking a deep breath, I pressed my palm against it.
The mechanism groaned to life, the bookcase sliding aside with a grinding sound. Beyond it, I saw a stone wall etched with ancient runes. The air was colder, heavier, charged with an unmistakable residue of dark magic.
Vivian stepped closer, her eyes scanning the runes. “It’s just like the vision. Touch it, Raffaele.”
I did as she said, placing my hand against the icy surface of the stone. The wall trembled beneath my palm before sliding to the side, revealing a steep, dark staircase descending into shadow.
We exchanged a glance, and I could see the determination in her eyes. Wordlessly, we began our descent.
The chamber at the bottom of the staircase was thick with the scent of ancient magic and damp stone. The walls seemed to drink in the bluish light from the enchanted sconces, which cast eerie, distorted shadows.
A pedestal carved from polished obsidian stood in the center of the room, its surface gleaming like a dark mirror. A porcelain doll with eerie, lifelike eyes, lay on top of it. A hum of energy—low and foreboding—emanated from it, the magic so thick it felt as though it would choke me.
