The rain followed them as if the sky itself wanted to drown the city. Aria's clothes clung to her skin, heavy and cold. Her breath came in sharp bursts, the sound of it mixing with distant sirens. Lorenzo held her hand as they moved quickly through dark alleys, but her mind wasn't on the path. It was on the words burning on her tablet screen.
The next blow will take everything you love. Sleep well, Queen.
Her grip tightened around the device. She wanted to smash it against the wall, to erase Sebastian's voice, his power. But she couldn't. This was not just a threat. It was a promise.
"We need to get out of the city," Lorenzo said, pulling her closer. His eyes scanned every shadow, every rooftop. "He won't stop. Not now. Not after tonight."
Aria shook her head. "If we run, he wins. He'll strip everything I built. My family. My name. My fire." Her voice cracked. She thought of Mateo, of his eyes full of judgment, of betrayal. "And he already took someone from me."
