His scorn was sharper than any blade, cutting deeper than my father’s visible wounds.
“I promise to make it right,” I said again, my voice barely a whisper, knowing the futility of my words. “We’ll regain Olivia’s trust.”
“Nonsense,” Salvatore snapped, leaning in so close that his breath seared my skin like venom. His eyes burned with cold determination. “You are done with Olivia. You’ve ruined that path for good.”
He straightened, his commanding presence filling the room as he delivered our sentence. “You will find me the scrolls to reunite the blades. You will scour the far reaches of the earth to retrieve those scrolls before Olivia even has a chance to lay her hands on them.”
I swallowed hard, my heart sinking under the weight of his words. Our fate was no longer our own.
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Salvatore continued, his tone chilling in its deliberate calmness. “You will find the ancient scrolls, or I will kill your son, Angelo. Then, I will cut you to pieces and throw you into my poisonous fire.”
The threat hung in the air like a guillotine poised to strike. Failure would mean more than death—it would mean obliteration, a gruesome end too horrifying to comprehend fully.
Tears welled in my eyes, blurring the dim light of the chamber. The chains binding me clinked softly as I shifted, their cold, unyielding embrace a stark reminder of my captivity.
“Not my son,” I choked out, my voice thick with anguish. The heartache constricted my throat, each word a struggle to force past the lump of despair lodged there. “How dare you stand there and threaten him?”
Salvatore’s icy gaze bore into me, his voice as cutting as a blade. “Who saved your boy from Raul’s twisted hands?” he demanded, his words dripping with venom. “Me. And yet you dare to question my rights? He has power now—power thatIgave him. That makes him more mine than yours.”
The casual cruelty in his tone was unbearable, each word stripping away the last shreds of my dignity. Anger flared within me, desperate and raw. It surged to the surface, burning away my fear for a fleeting moment.
“If you’re so strong and powerful, why not go after Olivia yourself?” I spat, defiance lacing every word. “Why are we your pawns? I’m sick of being your puppet!”
Salvatore arched an eyebrow, a slow, cruel smile curving his lips. “Why do people have servants?” he said with disdain. “Because they are far more important than those who serve them.” The weight of his contempt was suffocating, pressing down on me like a physical force. “You’re so stupid,” he added, his voice filled with derision. “You were good for one thing only—a quick fuck. Release. A fleeting spurt of pleasure, nothing more. Thank the gods, my sons came from nobility, unlike you.”
A sob caught in my chest, but I forced it back down, refusing to give him the satisfaction. The sting of his words cut deep, but I clung to what little strength I had left.
“I thought there was love between us,” I murmured, the lie bitter on my tongue. The words felt hollow even as I spoke them, an echo of a long-buried hope.
“Love?” Salvatore’s laugh was a blade, scornful and cutting. “You’re nothing but a whore.”
The words struck like a slap to my already battered soul. A reckless fury rose within me, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “Maybe Lazarus is a stronger and more powerful Shadow Lord than you. Maybe you’re just scrambling in his shadows, desperate to prove your worth.”
The air grew heavy and thick with an oppressive menace. Salvatore’s hand moved in a lazy wave, and suddenly, serpents materialized on the ground. They slithered toward me, their movements deliberate and predatory. Cold scales scraped against my skin as they coiled around my limbs, their intimacy sickening and terrifying. I clenched my jaw, trying to suppress the scream clawing its way up my throat.
“Stop, Alina!” Mathias’ voice broke through, strained and pleading. “Don’t provoke him!”
“Provoked?” Salvatore’s eyes darkened, the storm within them threatening to break. “You think I’m merely provoked?” His voice dropped, ice lacing every word. “I should bring your son here now and slice him up while you watch.”
Fear sliced through my bravado like a knife. I cowered, my reckless courage dissolving. “I’m so sorry, Salvatore,” I stammered, trembling. “I made a mistake.”
The maggots smeared across my skin began to dry, hardening into a grotesque mask that pulled my features into a distorted grimace. My humiliation was complete.
“Indeed, you did,” Salvatore said, his voice as cold as the dungeon walls. “Had you not revealed yourself to your daughter, you’d be basking in luxury instead of rotting in this pit. Find the ancient scrolls, or your life—and your son’s—are forfeit. She must not succeed. Correct?”
“Right,” I whispered, the word tasting of ashes and defeat. “I’ll find them.”
Salvatore’s eyes gleamed with a cruel light, his satisfaction unmistakable. He strode to the center of the room where a massive cauldron sat, its contents unnervingly still.
“You know how important this mission is,” he said, echoing ominously off the damp walls. “We will stop at nothing until I possess those blades and rule the world with darkness and claim ultimate power—forever.”
With a single gesture, he conjured water within the cauldron. The liquid swirled unnaturally, its surface rippling despite the still air. Salvatore’s hand shot out, grasping my wrist in an iron grip. The chains tugged and tore against my raw skin as he pulled me forward. Without warning, a blade flashed, slicing across my palm. Blood welled up and dripped into the cauldron below.
I screamed as Salvatore’s guttural chant filled the chamber, the ancient, unholy syllables resonating like a malevolent hymn. The water’s surface shimmered and rippled, light and shadow weaving together to form an image.
Olivia.
Her form emerged slowly, like a delicate watercolor painting bleeding into life. Her auburn curls cascaded down her shoulders, her eyes bright with the same spark of mischief I remembered from her childhood. A faint, knowing smile played on her lips as though she held a secret she dared no one to uncover.
