I turn in his arms to face him. In the moonlight, with his guard down, I can see the worry etched in lines around his eyes, the weight of kingship on his shoulders. I reach up to touch his face, memorizing every detail.
"We're going to find a way," I tell him fiercely. "To save your brothers, to deal with the Council, all of it."
Siva stirs on my arm, her emerald form glowing softly in the darkness. Yes, she agrees, her certainty flowing through our connection.
Hawke's eyes flicker to the dragon tattoo, then back to me. "I will not lose you," he says simply. "Not to the Council, not to fear, not to a curse, not to anything."
In that moment, with his arms around me and his determination a tangible force through our bond, I almost believe it's possible. That love might be enough to change even the most certain of fates.
But as he kisses me, one hand drifting to rest protectively over our unborn child, I can't quite silence the whisper of doubt. Because beyond the Council’s demands, beyond the Knights' desperate search, beyond even the curse on my pregnancy, lies a truth I can't escape… the evil Queen stirs more in her cell every single day that passes.
She’s coming.
And none of us are ready.
CHAPTER 9
Risky Business In Rome
* * *
Astrid Mathieson
Rome at night feels ancient and alive in ways most cities don't. Cobblestones under my boots have witnessed millennia of history, some stones worn smooth by sandals that walked here when magick was worshipped, not hunted. The smell of espresso and fresh bread mingles with the older scents of stone and moss as we approach the first crime scene.
"The victim was discovered here," I say, crouching beside the chalk outline that Italian authorities left behind. The apartment's modest living room has been preserved, everything untouched except for the body which was taken to the morgue and then re-possessed by GUIDE coroners. "Marco Bellini, age 58."
Ghost circles the perimeter, specialized goggles highlighting trace evidence invisible to the naked eye. "Blood spatter shows a swift, precise attack. Photos of the vic showed multiple puncture wounds to the throat and minimal struggle. It caught him by surprise."
Sherlock kneels beside the outline, his fingers hovering just above the floor where silvery residue gleams under his specialized light. "These trace elements match the samples from the other attacks."
I study the scene, mentally reconstructing the attack. "He was seated when it came for him. Right through that window.” I point to the mess of shattered glass. “Never stood a chance."
"The question is, why him?" Ghost adjusts something on his goggles, his head tilting slightly as he scans the scene. "Random victim? Or targeted?"
"Nothing's random with creatures this intelligent." I move to the victim's desk, carefully examining the personal effects. A photo catches my eye—a group of men and women in older-style GUIDE tactical gear. I hold it up. "Sherlock. When did Bellini retire?"
Sherlock taps his tablet, pulling up the file. "Eight years ago. Twenty-seven years of service as an Inquisitor."
"Let's see the second scene," I say, a theory beginning to form in my mind.
The next apartment is across the city, in a more affluent neighborhood overlooking the Tiber. The scene here is messier—furniture overturned, walls gouged with claw marks.
"Claudia Vitelli," Sherlock reads from his tablet. "62. Found three days after Bellini."
"She fought back," Ghost observes, indicating the pattern of destruction. "Hard."
I examine the claw marks scoring the wall—deep, precise cuts from something incredibly strong. No random slashing, each mark deliberate and controlled. "GUIDE connection?"
"Retired fifteen years ago," Sherlock confirms, scrolling through her file. "Served twenty-five years. Specialized in magickal artifacts recovery."
"Two retired Inquisitors." I turn to face my team. "That's not a coincidence."
"Update from HQ," Sherlock says, his expression grave. "The two remaining survivors from teams Bravo and Delta just passed."
"Fuck. We need to see those sites, too," I say. “Just in case they missed something.”
Both my teammates nod and we head out.
