Chapter 13 — Taken by the Shadows
Part :1
The storm still ruled the night. Hours had passed since the violent attack on Riven's mansion, yet the sky above the city refused to calm down. Dark clouds rolled endlessly across the horizon while thunder rumbled through the distance like a warning that the night was far from over. Heavy rain poured over the city streets, washing the roads and rooftops with endless silver lines that reflected the glow of distant streetlights. From the outside, the massive estate of Riven looked peaceful again, standing tall behind its iron gates and towering walls. But inside the mansion, the atmosphere told a completely different story.
Security inside the estate had doubled. Armed guards moved carefully through the long marble corridors, their footsteps echoing softly across the quiet halls as they checked every room and staircase. Some of them carried rifles while others spoke through communication devices clipped to their collars, reporting that each section of the mansion remained secure. Broken glass still lay scattered across parts of the floor where bullets had shattered windows during the earlier attack. Servants were slowly cleaning the damage, but the tension inside the building remained heavy. Everyone in the mansion knew that the attack had not been random. Someone had planned it carefully, and even though the attackers had retreated, no one believed the danger had truly passed.
In the large living room near the center of the mansion, Anya sat quietly on a dark leather sofa. A thick blanket rested over her shoulders, placed there earlier by one of the house staff who had noticed how pale she looked after the attack. The warm fire burning in the nearby fireplace filled the room with soft orange light, but the warmth did little to calm the storm of thoughts inside her mind.
Her eyes remained fixed on the floor while her memory replayed the terrifying events from earlier that night. She could still feel the moment when the masked man had grabbed her from behind. She remembered the cold metal of the gun pressed against her temple and the rough voice whispering threats beside her ear. Every time she thought about it, a shiver ran down her spine.
She slowly tightened the blanket around herself, trying to calm the trembling in her hands. If the sniper had not fired at the exact moment he did, everything might have ended very differently. She might have been taken away by those men… or worse. The realization made her chest feel tight.
Across the room, Riven stood near the tall glass windows that overlooked the rain-soaked courtyard. The rain streamed down the glass behind him, turning the outside world into a blurred mixture of shadows and silver lines. Several of his most trusted guards stood nearby while they quietly reported the results of their search.
"They escaped, boss," one of the men finally said.
Riven remained silent for a moment, staring out into the storm as if the answer might be hidden somewhere beyond the dark clouds. The only sign of his irritation was the faint tightening of his jaw.
"They used smoke grenades during the retreat," the guard continued carefully. "By the time our men cleared the smoke, they were already gone."
Silence filled the room.
For several long seconds, no one spoke. The distant sound of thunder echoed through the night while rain tapped steadily against the windows.
Then Riven finally turned.
"Find them."
His voice was quiet, almost calm, but the command carried a dangerous authority that made every man in the room straighten immediately.
"Yes, boss," the guard replied.
Riven looked at each of them before adding one more sentence.
"No matter how long it takes."
The men nodded and quickly left the room to continue the search.
When the door closed behind them, the large hall suddenly felt empty again. Only the sound of rain remained.
Riven slowly walked toward Anya.
For a moment he simply stood there, studying her carefully as if confirming with his own eyes that she was truly unharmed. His expression was calm, but something darker lingered behind his gaze.
"Did you sleep?" he asked quietly.
Anya gave a small, tired laugh.
"After tonight?" she said softly. "I don't think that's possible."
Riven sat down in the chair across from her.
"The men who attacked the mansion were professionals," he said.
Anya frowned slightly.
"So they'll come back?"
"Yes."
The honesty of his answer made her uneasy.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because they failed."
Anya blinked.
"Failed to do what?"
Riven's gaze rested on her face.
"To take you."
For a moment she simply stared at him in disbelief.
"Me?" she said. "Why would anyone want me?"
Riven leaned back slightly in his chair, his expression unreadable.
"In the world I live in," he explained slowly, "when enemies cannot destroy the king, they attack the things the king protects."
His words lingered in the air between them.
Anya hesitated before asking the question that had formed in her mind.
"Am I… something you protect?"
Riven did not answer immediately. His eyes moved briefly toward the rain-covered window before returning to her.
"Yes."
The single word felt heavier than a long explanation.
Anya didn't know how to respond.
Before she could speak again, a guard entered the room.
"Boss," he said, "the cars are ready."
Riven stood immediately.
"We're moving her."
Anya looked confused.
"Moving me where?"
"To a safe house."
"I thought this place was the safest."
"It was," Riven said quietly.
He looked toward the storm outside.
"But now they know where you are."
The meaning of his words settled heavily in the room.
Because if the enemy had already attacked once…
They might be planning something even worse.
Part: 2
The rain had not slowed even a little. By the time Riven and Anya stepped outside the mansion, the storm had grown even stronger. Cold wind rushed across the courtyard while heavy rain struck the ground with sharp, relentless force. The massive iron gates of the estate stood open, and several armed guards were already positioned around the vehicles waiting near the entrance.
Three armored black SUVs stood in a line, their engines running and headlights cutting through the rain-filled darkness. The vehicles looked like silent beasts waiting for a command to move.
Riven walked ahead without hesitation, his expression calm but focused. Around him, guards moved quickly, checking weapons, radios, and the security of the convoy.
"Everything ready?" Riven asked.
"Yes, boss," one of the men replied. "Route is clear."
Riven nodded once.
He then turned slightly toward Anya.
"Stay close."
Anya followed him toward the middle SUV. Even though the courtyard was filled with armed guards, she still felt uneasy. The storm, the darkness, and the memory of the earlier attack made everything feel dangerous.
One of the guards quickly opened the door for her.
She stepped inside.
Riven entered right after her.
Within seconds the convoy began moving.
The large gates slowly closed behind them as the three vehicles drove out of the estate and onto the empty road beyond.
The city streets were nearly deserted because of the storm. Rainwater flowed across the pavement while streetlights reflected off the wet ground in long golden streaks. The convoy moved quickly but carefully, the engines humming steadily as the vehicles cut through the dark streets.
Inside the SUV, silence filled the space between Riven and Anya.
For a while neither of them spoke.
Anya looked out the window, watching the city pass by in blurred lights and shadows.
"Where are we going?" she finally asked.
"A safe house," Riven replied calmly.
"Another mansion?"
"Something like that."
His answer didn't reveal much, but Anya understood that pressing him further probably wouldn't help.
The vehicle continued moving through the storm.
Minutes passed.
Suddenly the lead SUV slowed down.
Riven immediately noticed.
"What's happening?" he asked.
The driver spoke into the radio.
"Lead vehicle, report."
A moment later the response came through.
"Boss… there's something on the road."
Riven's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What is it?"
"A truck."
The convoy slowed even more.
Riven leaned slightly forward.
"A truck?"
"Yes, boss. It's blocking the road."
The vehicles came to a stop.
Rain continued hammering against the windows.
Anya felt her heartbeat quicken slightly.
"Maybe it's just broken," she said quietly.
Riven didn't answer.
Instead, his eyes remained fixed on the dark road ahead.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
"How long has it been there?" he asked through the radio.
"Unknown," the guard replied.
For a moment everything remained still.
Then—
Bright headlights suddenly appeared behind them.
Anya turned her head.
Three black vans had appeared on the road behind the convoy.
They moved quickly before stopping across the street.
Blocking the path.
Riven's expression changed instantly.
"It's an ambush."
The word had barely left his mouth when gunfire exploded across the street.
Bullets slammed against the armored SUVs with violent metallic sounds.
Glass cracked.
Men shouted.
Riven's guards immediately returned fire from the windows and doors.
The quiet stormy street turned into chaos within seconds.
"Stay down!" Riven ordered.
He grabbed Anya's arm and pulled her down between the seats.
Gunshots echoed outside as attackers rushed forward through the rain.
Lightning flashed across the sky, briefly revealing dozens of dark figures moving toward the convoy.
The attackers were heavily armed.
More than before.
Inside the SUV, Anya's heart pounded wildly as she heard bullets striking the vehicle around them.
The sound was deafening.
Riven opened the door and stepped out of the SUV with his weapon drawn.
He fired twice.
Two attackers fell immediately.
But more kept coming through the storm.
Riven's guards spread out around the vehicles, returning fire while taking cover behind the armored doors.
The battle grew more intense with every second.
Rain, thunder, and gunfire mixed together into a terrifying storm of chaos.
Inside the vehicle, Anya could barely breathe as she listened to the sounds of battle surrounding her.
She didn't know how many attackers were outside.
She didn't know who was winning.
All she knew was that the nightmare had started again.
And this time…
It was far worse.
Part :3
The storm seemed to grow even louder as the gunfight continued. Rain poured down relentlessly, turning the dark street into a chaotic battlefield filled with flashing lights, thunder, and the sharp echo of gunfire. Riven moved quickly between the vehicles, firing with precise control while his guards fought back against the attackers who were rushing forward through the rain.
Every movement Riven made was calm and calculated. He fired again, and another attacker collapsed onto the wet pavement. But there were too many enemies. More figures continued appearing from behind the black vans, spreading out across the street while bullets slammed against the armored SUVs.
Inside the middle vehicle, Anya remained crouched between the seats just as Riven had ordered. Her hands trembled slightly as the sounds of gunfire and shouting filled the air around her. She could barely hear her own breathing over the chaos outside.
The entire world seemed to shake with every thunderclap.
Suddenly the rear door of the SUV was violently pulled open.
Cold rain rushed inside instantly.
Anya gasped as a masked man grabbed her arm.
"Got her!" he shouted.
The attacker yanked her out of the vehicle before she could react. Her feet slipped against the wet pavement as she struggled desperately.
"Let go!" she cried.
But the man's grip was too strong.
Another masked attacker rushed forward to help him.
"Hurry!" he shouted. "Move!"
They began dragging her toward one of the waiting black vans parked behind the convoy.
Across the battlefield, Riven heard the shout.
His head snapped toward the sound.
For a brief moment lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the terrifying scene before him.
Anya was being dragged away.
"ANYA!"
Riven fired instantly.
One of the attackers collapsed as the bullet struck him in the chest. But the second attacker quickly pulled Anya toward the van, using her as a shield.
More gunfire erupted around them.
Riven tried to move forward, but several enemies rushed into his path, forcing him to fight them off before he could reach her.
Seconds felt like minutes.
By the time he cleared the attackers blocking him, the van door had already been thrown open.
Anya was shoved inside.
She struggled, but another masked man grabbed her wrists and forced her down onto the floor of the vehicle.
The door slammed shut.
The engine roared to life.
"No!" Riven shouted.
He fired again, hitting one of the attackers near the van. But it was already too late.
The vehicle sped away through the rain.
Within seconds the black van disappeared down the dark road, its taillights fading into the storm.
The remaining attackers quickly retreated as well, jumping into their vehicles before speeding away.
Then suddenly—
Silence.
The gunfire stopped.
Only the sound of heavy rain remained.
Riven stood in the middle of the street, breathing slowly as water soaked through his clothes. Around him, several of his guards began securing the area while checking for any remaining threats.
One of the men approached him carefully.
"Boss…"
Riven did not move.
His eyes were still fixed on the empty road where the van had disappeared.
"Where is she?" he asked quietly.
The guard hesitated.
"They took her."
For a moment the entire world seemed to stop.
Even the storm felt distant.
Then slowly, Riven's expression changed.
The calm mask he always wore began to disappear.
In its place, something far more dangerous emerged.
Cold fury.
Another guard ran toward them.
"Boss, we tracked the direction of the van. They headed toward the north highway."
Riven finally moved.
His voice was quiet.
"Prepare every unit."
The guard blinked in surprise.
"Boss… every unit?"
"Yes."
The man hesitated before speaking again.
"That could start a war."
Riven slowly turned his head.
Rain ran down his face as thunder rumbled across the sky.
But his eyes were colder than the storm itself.
"Good."
His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
"Because the moment they took her…"
He looked toward the dark highway in the distance.
"The war already started."
Lightning flashed across the sky.
Far away, somewhere in the darkness, the van carrying Anya continued racing through the storm.
Inside the vehicle, her hands were tied while two masked men watched her carefully.
One of them spoke into a phone.
"The package is secured."
A calm voice answered from the other side of the call.
"Excellent."
"Bring her to me."
The call ended.
Anya's heart pounded inside her chest as fear slowly filled her mind.
She didn't know where they were taking her.
She didn't know who the real enemy was.
But one thing had become painfully clear.
The nightmare had only just begun.
End of Chapter 13
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