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Romola
I am holding my half of the diamond like dead weight. My world has been tilted off its axis once more, and I truly don’t know how much more of this I can bear. I gave up on him and just accepted his death. Could he really still be alive…?
Fiero's outstretched hand still hovers just inches away from me, his emerald green eyes conveying trust and hope. “Hand me the diamond, Romola.”
Yet I hesitate, my grip tightening on the precious gem as Rafaele's words echo in my mind: "Your father is alive."
"Romola," Fiero urges gently, growing concerned. "You know we need to bring the halves together. It's the only way we’ll know if a prophecy exists."
But could it be true? Could he really be out there, somewhere, waiting for me to find him?
Rafaele senses my doubt and steps up to the pedestal, mere inches away from me, his tall, broad frame casting a shadow over me. His dark blue eyes bore into mine as if he could see the turmoil raging within me. He speaks in a low, persuasive tone, "I spared your father's life, Romola, for my own purposes. And now, those purposes have changed."
My heart races as I glance between Rafaele and Fiero, torn between two paths I never imagined I'd have to choose between. The air around us feels charged, regardless of my decision, the course of our lives will undoubtedly be changed.
"Rafaele," I whisper, my voice trembling with uncertainty, "why should I believe you?"
"Because…" he replies, his voice steady and confident, "…I know deep down, you feel the truth of my words. Have you never wondered why you didn’t see the body? What would it bring me to deny you a funeral if his death was all I wanted?”
“Why?” I shout, demanding further clarity, as tears begin to stream down my face. “Why?” I whisper now.
“I thought he would be of more use alive than dead. Should you have failed again, I could have dangled his life in front of you as an incentive. Had you just given me the diamond and let me unite the two halves in time, I would have returned him to you. Alas,” he sighs, looking into my eyes. “You resisted, and Fiero interrupted. The war broke out, and chaos happened.”
“Where is he?” I ask, my heart stuttering in my chest. “WHERE IS HE!?”
“At my compound. Safe, guarded, well-fed and treated for his wounds.”
My hands shake and yet I tighten my grip on the diamond, on my bargaining chip. Impossible.
"Romola, don't let him manipulate you," Fiero says urgently, grasping my other hand. His touch is warm and solid, a lifeline that anchors me back to reality. "He's playing with your emotions, using your love for your father against you."
A chill runs down my spine as I sense Fiero's gaze on me, pleading with me to remain focused. I don’t want to betray Fiero again. After everything he’s done for me, all the wrongs he's forgiven. And yet, I cannot ignore the possibility that my father is still alive.
Taking advantage of my distracted state, Rafaele immediately closes the gap between us and touches my hand, ready to take back the diamond that I’ve been clutching onto like a vise grip. He tries pulling it out of my hand, but my grip’s too tight.
“Noooo,” I hear Fiero yell as he reaches for my right hand with his left. His hand feels clumsy, weighted with the diamond he holds. He begs me to come back to reality and hand him the half I hold under Rafaele’s fingers.
And then, the impossible happens—something I could never explain to be believable. A low rumble fills the cavern, growing louder until the ground beneath us begins to tremble violently.
No matter how hard I try to take my hands away from Fiero and Rafaele, it’s like we’re glued together, and there’s a fire in both my hands, spreading up my arms. The walls of the cave groan in protest, columns swaying dangerously as dust and pebbles rain down on us.
“We need to get to safety,” Fiero roars.
“I…I can’t move,” Rafaele shouts back.
“Neither can I,” Fiero shouts, staring at Rafaele like he’s never seen the man before. I, too, am rooted between them and a blinding surge of energy envelopes the three of us.
As suddenly as it began, the ground stopped shaking. An eerie quiet fell over us, frozen in place. I still feel the light in me, a force protecting me from inside and out. I look at Rafaele and Fiero, and they’re basking in this glow around them, emitting light like the diamond itself.
“Romola,” Fiero gasps, staring around my head, my arms, my body, like he can’t believe what he’s seeing.
“Is this a dream?” Rafaele mutters beside me, closing his eyes and opening them again in perpetual disbelief.
I begin to feel lighter like I’m floating. I no longer feel the earth beneath me, but when I look down, my feet are still planted below. Fiero’s and Rafaele’s hands still burn in mine. It was not uncomfortable, but it was a peculiar burn that I could almost mistake for the cold.
It’s as if time has stopped in this moment, leaving us suspended in a dreamlike state where reality blurs with goodness-knows-what.
We stand there for eternity or only a few seconds, we’ll probably never know, for each moment feels so vivid.
