“But father—”
“Did you hear me?” he growls at the eldest son, who quickly bows in submission.
As he rises, he turns to me and gestures toward the wide entrance.
“Bay,” I call, turning to my aunt now at the far corner. “You two, follow him.”
The queen grabs the king’s arm. “No—”
“If you want your remaining bloodline alive and well, stay out of matters beyond your control,” Bay snaps coldly, swimming forward as Onyx trails after her, looking like her entire soul has been shattered.
I clench my fists. I broke a promise for the first time in my life. I failed her.
But it no longer matters—we have no choice now.
“Volar! You can’t be serious!” the queen whimpers, but the king silences her with a single wave of his hand. I almost laugh at the scene.
The eldest son stands waiting at the entrance, ready for me to follow too.
“Could you tell me where your brother was last seen before he disappeared?” I ask him, hoping he might know more than his father, I’ll get more details from Mon too. It might save me another headache.
He hesitates, glancing between me and his father, but then nods.
“You can take Alessio out of here,”I add, smirking despite myself.“He’s done his job.”
Roran
“Where do you think you're going?”
Chris’s voice startles me. My—now clearly failed—attempt to sneak out of her apartment is cut short. She steps in front of me, and her father, Mariano, stands just behind her.
I should just take a picture with the three brothers and send it to my father—maybe it’ll finally give him the heart attack he needs to move on to the next world.
They do look alike, but he doesn’t seem as terrifying as I imagined—like the capo’s right hand should look like. Maybe that’s why I didn’t connect it faster.
“U-um,” I stammer, freezing as Luca himself steps forward from the hallway. Why is he here, in Mariano’s home? Aren’t their meetings always in Luca’s office?
I sigh, feeling Chris’s glare burn into me.
“Would you believe me if I said I’m just going for a walk?” I force a nervous laugh.
Chris exhales dramatically and steps forward, grabbing the small backpack I borrowed from Kayla’s room and ripping it off my shoulder.
“Ouch.”
Luca lets out a low sound, almost like a growl. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was about to slice my throat open. Maybe he still will.
But I can’t focus on that. I need to get to Diana. And I need that medicine Alinrefusesto give me.
They all stare at me, waiting for the truth. Chris dangles the backpack strap from her finger in front of me, like a taunt.
I take a deep breath and drop my shoulders.
They’re not my enemies. At least… not right now.
“Alin wouldn’t give me any information about the medicine, so I thought—”
“What? You thought you’d just go get it yourself?” Chris cuts me off, her nostrils flaring.
