Raul leaned back against the wall, his face cast in shadows, his voice a bitter whisper. “My job was to do what I needed to do. And now, I will die. I’m done.”
The glimmer in his eye faded, leaving only a man stripped of everything—power, loyalty, and life itself—awaiting the inevitable end.
“You’re despicable, you know that? What kind of man kills his child by poisoning it?” I spat the question at him, my voice trembling with rage. “You told me your first child was killed. And then you claim you had a child with Alina. But where is that child now? The child you begged Alina to bear? Why would you kill him? You’re a disgusting monster, Raul.”
Raul’s gaze remained fixed on me, his expression unreadable. When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. “You know nothing.”
I knew enough to understand the monster before me. I knew enough to feel the burning need for justice—for Olivia, for his child, and for all those harmed by this man’s twisted mission. Whatever Raul’s endgame was, whatever dark purpose drove him and Mathias, I made a silent vow then and there: their kind would find no quarter in this world. Not while I still drew breath.
“You Timehunters were supposed to be the healers of our people,” Balthazar interjected, his voice rising with unrestrained fury. “Your purpose was to bring relief and aid to those suffering from diseases and sickness. Instead, you’ve become a poisonous species. Without hesitation, you kill any human, Darkness, Timeborne, or Timebound, with your alchemy. You, who were once revered as guardians, have become monsters—vicious villains hiding behind the false facade of a virtuous society.”
As Balthazar spoke, his eyes flickered with emotion, his gaze distant, as though chasing a memory that eluded him.
Raul’s lips curled into a sneer, his voice sharp and taunting. “Well, Balthazar, if you hate Timehunters so much… why did you choose to ally with me?”
Balthazar worked his jaw, his expression calculating as he weighed his next words.
“Because Marcellious married my daughter Emily,” he replied evenly, “and I wanted to know where she was, you fucking idiot. Do you think I was truly helping you with Marcellious? No, I was using you to get to him. And when he finally broke and revealed Emily’s location, I left your wretched company. You were always the loser in our little game, Raul. And now look at you—shackled, broken, and sharing this dungeon with me.”
“Shut up!” Raul roared, his voice raw with rage, his bound body trembling with futile resistance.
I had no time or patience for their petty squabbling. Their words were poison, seeping into the already suffocating air of the dungeon.
“I’m leaving,” I said coldly, my tone reverberating off the damp stone walls. I turned to go, eager to escape the oppressive weight of the confrontation.
As I moved toward the exit, a figure emerged from the shadows of the corridor. Alina. Her presence was like a ghost conjured from the past, her wide eyes locking onto Raul with a mix of recognition and disbelief.
“Is that you?” she whispered, her voice trembling.
Raul’s face twisted into a mask of unbridled fury, his body straining against the ropes that held him. His lips curled into a snarl as he spat venom at her.
“You fucking filthy whore!” His words rang out, dripping with malice. “Look at you—you’re a fucking liar and a serpent. Every time you told me you loved me and cared for me and our child, it was just a game. You’re pathetic. Your daughter has more beauty and respect than you’ll ever have.”
Alina flinched as though struck, her face losing all color as she stumbled back a step. The venom in Raul’s words was a wound sharper than any blade, cutting through whatever strength she had mustered to confront him.
As disgust roiled within me, I stepped around her, barely sparing her a glance as I moved toward the exit. My heart pounded with unanswered questions, the weight of Raul’s hateful glare pressing against my back. The darkness in this accursed place seemed to seep from the very walls, but I had no intention of lingering any longer.
The dungeon’s oppressive air clung to my skin as I stormed away from the vile scene, my mind a turbulent sea of disgust and unease. Each step upward felt heavier than the last, the weight of Raul’s venomous words and the darkness of that place threatening to pull me under.
As I ascended the stairs, the stench of dampness and decay gave way to the faint aroma of lavender, a scent that always lingered in the halls. It was Olivia’s scent. It wrapped around me like a whisper of hope, spurring me on, each step bringing me closer to her still, fragile form.
Mathias’ silhouette loomed at the end of the corridor, framed by the warm glow of the sconces. His posture was rigid, his presence imposing, as though he had been waiting for this confrontation.
“What happened to Olivia?” he asked, his voice measured but laced with curiosity. “Do you know why she’s unconscious?”
I said nothing, my silence thick and deliberate.
His tone sharpened. “Did you find the dagger?”
A surge of anger surged through me, hot and unrelenting. Lazarus’ warning echoed in my mind—Trust no one but Olivia.
I clenched my fists, barely containing the fury that sought to break free. I would get no answers from this man.
Without a word, I turned away, my resolve solidifying with every step. They wouldn’t get anything from me—not a word, a hint, or the slightest clue. I silently vowed to protect the blades with my life, no matter the cost.
My thoughts shifted to Gaius—Lazarus—who had hidden his true identity from me in Rome. I had always known him as Gaius, a figure of strength and wisdom, tirelessly watching over me and urging me to persevere. His whispered words of encouragement had been my guiding light during my darkest moments, and now, after so many years, he had returned. Every person I’d encountered, every fragment of my past, seemed to hold a deeper meaning waiting to be unraveled. My life was a puzzle, and piece by piece, it was beginning to take shape.
Gripping Olivia’s dagger tightly, I quickened my pace. Its weight was a steady reminder of my promise, a drumbeat that echoed in my chest, urging me forward. I would protect what mattered most, even if it cost me everything. But as I clung to my resolve, a quiet unease crept into my mind. The real tests that would challenge not only my strength but my soul were still to come—and they would arrive in ways I could never foresee.
