CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
OLIVIA
M y body jolted upright, tangled in the silk sheets of my luxurious bedroom. Through misty eyes, I watched Emily dart back and forth in the hallway, her arms wrapped protectively around baby Leo as she checked and double-checked their meager belongings. Marcellious, still pale and fragile from the poison that had nearly claimed his life, staggered down the hallway past my door, each step an arduous task. Lee walked beside him, one hand gripping his arm to steady him.
“Olivia,” Emily called out, her voice strained. “We’re almost ready. It’s time to say goodbye.”
I nodded, swallowing the lump rising in my throat. She couldn’t see me nod from where she stood, but I didn’t trust myself to speak. The weight of the moment pressed heavily on my chest. How could I say goodbye to family when time itself was an unreliable force? Emily and Marcellious were stepping into the unknown, a future from which there was no guarantee of return.
“Be safe,” I whispered, though my words felt inadequate against the magnitude of our reality.
Emily paused and offered me a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “We will.”
I gazed down at Luna, my precious daughter, who lay sound asleep in my arms. Her tiny lips pursed and moved as if nursing the air. I couldn’t help but run my fingers through her soft, silken curls that framed her angelic face. As I whispered my love for her, the candlelight danced across her delicate features, making her seem more ethereal than ever before. She was not just my child but a magical being capable of traveling through time. Every moment with her was a gift, and I cherished each with all my heart.
Lee appeared in the doorway, his jaw set with determination, though his eyes betrayed a hint of sadness. “We’ll see each other again. This isn’t goodbye.”
I fought back tears and said, “I-I know.”
But the reality was murky and uncertain.
The faint scent of beeswax and honey lingered in the air as Lee stepped into the dimly lit room, igniting a fragile sense of safety within me. Before I could form any words, Luna and I were wrapped in the warmth of his embrace. The rough texture of his cloak brushed against my skin, a contrast to the delicate softness of Luna’s blanket, snugly wrapped around her tiny form.
“Olivia,” he said, his voice a deep rumble that resonated in the quiet chamber. His battle-scarred hands, strong yet gentle, cupped Luna’s small head as he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. “You are a strong and fearless warrior, and I’ve trained you well.”
The weight of his trust anchored me to this moment.
“I wish I could tell you more,” Lee said, his voice quieter now as his eyes darted toward the walls with a warrior’s caution. “But the walls have ears. You should uncover the past alone—with Roman by your side.”
His words struck a chord deep within me, sparking a surge of determination. The shadows of uncertainty had ruled my life for too long. It was time to face the truth, to step into the light that waited beyond the veils of secrecy.
“I think I have an idea about the secrets of the past, Lee,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions whirling inside me.
Holding Luna closer, I let my love for her flow freely, wrapping around her like a protective cocoon.
“I love you so much, Little Moon,” Lee whispered. “And I promise you and I will see each other soon.”
The words were a vow, an unbreakable bond forged in the fires of our shared history.
Lee’s expression softened. “I wish I could stay longer, Olivia, but Marcellious needs me. Malik and Roman will remain by your side to protect you and Luna.”
Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring the steadfast figure before me. I blinked them back, not wanting to cloud this farewell with the salt of my sorrow. But they came nonetheless, slipping free to trace paths down my cheeks.
“You’ve always been the anchor in my chaos,” I whispered, kissing his cheek.
His skin was warm beneath my lips, the fleeting touch brimming with the tenderness of our unspoken bond.
I wrapped my arms around him, holding on for an eternal second. In that embrace, I poured every ounce of gratitude and love I had for this man who had been more than a mentor—he was the compass that guided me through the darkest nights. “Stay safe,” I murmured against his shoulder, knowing full well the perils that awaited us all beyond the safety of our walls. My heart clenched at the thought, but I pushed away the fear. Lee was as unyielding as the mountains, as relentless as the tide. He would return to us. He must.
With one last squeeze, I released him. I had been forged in the fires of his teachings, and for Luna, for all we held dear, I would not falter.
Emily entered the room.
“Olivia.” Her voice was a choked sob as she closed the distance between us. She wrapped her arms around me and baby Luna, desperately trying to condense a lifetime of sisterhood into one heartfelt touch.
“Safe travels,” I said, my lips trembling against her ear.
“Always,” she breathed out, pulling back just enough to look into my eyes. “You, too.”
I nodded, unable to trust my voice again.
Rosie, bright and small, scampered in, her feet pattering on the wooden floor, reminding us all that life persisted with an innocent vigor even in our darkest moments.
“Bye-bye, Emily,” Rosie said with a lisp, wrapping her little arms around Emily’s leg. Emily bent down to lift Rosie into a hug, her tears falling freely.
“Goodbye, brave little one,” Lee said. He managed a weak smile for Rosie, who reached out to pat his cheek, her tender gesture threatening to unravel me completely.
“Tell Marcellious to feel better!” she said, her voice filled with hope and love.
Lee nodded, the emotions in his eyes threatening to spill over. He quickly wiped away the tears gathering in the corners of his eyes and whispered, “I will.”
Their farewells were a montage of embraces and whispered promises, each a thread sewing the fabric of our bond tighter, even as they prepared to unravel it by stepping into a future unknown. And then, with a final glance laden with love and worry, they were gone, leaving the hallway outside my room hauntingly empty.
The settled silence was oppressive, a marked contrast to the flurry of activity moments before. A lump formed in my throat as I gently laid Luna down in her cradle. The soft rustle of her blanket and the sweet scent of her skin were small comforts in the vast emptiness of the estate.
I kissed her forehead. “Sweet dreams, my little moon.”
Lying on the bed, I closed my eyes and let a few tears escape, rolling silently down my cheeks. Everything here was so complicated. Roman and I lived among monsters, and I couldn’t shake the gnawing unease that haunted me. I felt unsafe—like a cornered animal pretending it had somewhere to run.
A heavy hand came to rest on my shoulder, and I turned to find Roman’s solemn gaze upon me. His presence had always been a source of strength, but it only reminded us of what we all stood to lose.
“I need to check on the men in the caves,” he said, his voice rough. “I’ll take a horse and return as fast as possible.”
The thought of being alone, even momentarily, sent a shiver down my spine. “Roman...”
He squeezed my shoulder. “You stay in your room. Rest with baby Luna. Malik will stay behind and watch over you.”
The command was gentle yet firm, bearing the weight of a man who knew too much of danger.
Reluctance clawed at me, the urge to cling to him almost overwhelming. But I knew better than to argue when lives were at stake.
I nodded, taking a deep breath that did little to steady my nerves.
“Good girl,” Roman said with a small, sad smile. “I promise I’ll be back swiftly.”
He leaned down, his breath warm against my skin, and pressed his lips to mine. The kiss was tender and full of longing, a silent promise that he would return. His lips moved softly against mine, urging me to open, and let him in. I moaned when his tongue slid inside. As our tongues danced together, our mouths molded perfectly as if they were made for each other. Time seemed to stand still as we lost ourselves in the heat of our embrace.
When he finally pulled away, his eyes glistened with unspoken emotion. My heart fluttered with both happiness and aching desire.
“Stay safe,” he whispered.
He leaned down to kiss Luna’s tiny head before leaving the room.
I watched his retreat, feeling the threads of my family unraveling with each step he took. His footsteps echoed down the long corridor toward the stairs.
Alone in the quiet of my room, with the shadows lengthening and the sounds of departure fading into silence, I prayed for the safety of those I loved, for Roman’s swift return, and for the strength to face whatever darkness awaited us.
Night had fully settled, draping the room in darkness when the door creaked open. My mother entered without invitation, her silhouette rigid, an omen in itself.
“I don’t want you in my room,” I said, my voice steady despite the tremor of anger I fought to suppress.
“Listen,” she snapped, her tone brittle, like thin ice cracking underfoot. “I’m your mother. Show me some respect. You’ve been too harsh to me, always pushing me away.”
Her words clawed at the air between us, but I refused to flinch. How could I respect someone who felt like a coiled serpent in the shadows, waiting to strike? Every instinct in me screamed to push her away, to shield Luna from whatever poison she carried.
And yet, there was no escape. For Luna’s sake, I had to stand my ground.
The room was barely lit by the flickering glow of a candle, its wavering light casting shifting shadows along the walls. Her presence made the air thick and stifling as if her essence was a miasma poisoning the space between us.
“Wow,” I whispered, my voice hoarse but laced with disbelief and outrage. “After everything I’ve heard about you—trying to kill me—and you stand here, acting righteous? How can I show respect to a monster? A vicious, lying serpent?”
She tilted her head, feigning innocence with a practiced ease. “Why do you assume I’m a monster?”
A bitter laugh escaped my lips, a sound devoid of humor. “Cut the bullshit, Mom. We’re adults. Face me like a woman.” My fists clenched at my sides, knuckles whitening as I struggled to contain the storm within. “You’ve always wanted to get rid of me. I heard the conversation with Mathias—how you questioned him about me seeing snakes and talking with Lazarus. You want to dismember us one by one.”
I stepped closer, my gaze never wavering, even as her eyes flickered with something dark and unreadable. “You destroyed Marcellious. You poisoned Balthazar against us all. You’re a monster. A poisonous bitch.”
Every word was a dagger, each syllable laced with venom drawn from years of pent-up anger and betrayal.
“The only reason you’ve returned is that you want the blades.” My voice dropped to a whisper, sharp and cutting. “But let me tell you something—you’ll never have them. Not ever.”
The silence followed was a battlefield, tense and crackling with unspoken threats.
My mother’s posture shifted, shoulders squaring like bracing against an unseen gale. The facade of maternal concern melted away, leaving a cold, hard visage that seemed alien to our room.
“You know what? I’m done with pretenses,” she spat.
I stared at her unflinchingly, my heart hammering against my ribcage.
“I am a monster, and I’m tired of hiding it,” she said. “I know you found the blade. Lazarus told you to return to the cave and retrieve the moon dagger. You’re hiding it somewhere.”
She took a deliberate step closer, her presence casting a chilling shadow over the cradle where Luna lay.
“If you want your precious little daughter alive, you’ll give me the blade.”
Her words snapped something inside me. My hand flew out, connecting with her cheek in a resounding slap that echoed through the room.
“I swear to God, if you so much as lay a finger on my child, I will rip out your goddamn heart and feed it to you.” Veins bulged in my neck, and my eyes blazed with fury. “Get away from me before I make good on that promise.”
The door swung open with a sudden force, revealing Mathias. His dark eyes swept over the scene, his expression twisting into a mask of feigned disbelief. “How dare you harm my daughter. Where’s the respect for your mother?”
“Stop with the act, grandpa .” My words cut straight to the heart of the matter. “I know your true colors and intentions, Mathias. You’re a monster pretending to be this honorable and hospitable host when, in reality, you can’t wait to kill me.”
I was acutely aware of the danger I was courting by provoking Mathias and my mother. They were dark, dangerous, and unpredictable beings. Yet, something deep within me—perhaps pride, perhaps defiance—compelled me to press further, to push them toward the breaking point. It was a toxic cycle, one I couldn’t seem to escape.
It was a declaration, not just to him but to myself, a reminder of the reality I faced.
Mathias’ lips curled into a cruel smirk as he stepped fully into the room, shutting the door behind him with an ominous finality. The heavy walnut panel clicked into place, sealing us in. It felt like a tomb, and I knew there would be no easy way out of the looming confrontation.
“What can I say?” Mathias drawled, leaning casually against the doorframe. His shadow stretched long across the dimly lit room, cloaking us in an oppressive darkness. “Your mother and I were cut from the same cloth. Like father, like daughter.”
His voice raised the fine hairs at the back of my neck. The air seemed to thicken with tension.
I squared my shoulders, trying to steady my trembling hands.
“So you admit that you’re a ruthless monster?” I asked though it was more of a challenge than a question. My heart was racing, but I couldn’t let fear cripple me now.
“Yes,” Mathias said, his tone clipped and laced with malice. His eyes gleamed with a sadistic glint that made the air feel heavier. “The facade is over. Now, my darling, it’s time to make a decision. Hand over the Blade of Shadows, and I’ll spare your pathetic life. And, as a token of my generosity, I’ll even gift you my grand estate before we part ways. It’s that simple... unless, of course, you’d prefer to see just how far my sadistic tendencies can go.”
I met his gaze, defiant despite the dread twisting like a vice in my stomach.
“I don’t have the blade,” I lied. “The men are still looking for the moon dagger in the cave.”
“You’re lying.” His voice was like a steel trap. “I know you have the blade, and those men in the cave are just pawns in your little game.”
My heart pounded as I stood my ground. “I don’t have it.”
He scoffed, extending his hand, palm up, as if demanding tribute. “Don’t waste my time with your lies. Hand over the moon dagger now.”
“Even if I did have the dagger, giving it to you would be a death sentence.” Venom dripped from my words as I stared him down. “You’d kill me without hesitation...just like you killed everything else between us.”
Mathias’ expression darkened, the thin veneer of civility crumbling away like ash in the wind. As he stepped toward me, his slow, deliberate movements rang out like the ominous drumbeat of an execution march. With each step, he loomed larger, an unstoppable predator closing in on his prey.
His voice lowered, each word rolling out like a lethal promise. “I’ve reached my breaking point. There will be no limits to the cruel things I can do to you and your precious little daughter.”
The air around us felt electrified, the weight of his threat coiling tightly around my chest like a snake ready to strike. I stood frozen, every instinct screaming to run, but my legs refused to move. I couldn’t show weakness—not now, not ever.
His voice dropped to a menacing whisper. “I don’t want to take your family away from you like I did before.”
My breath hitched, the suffocating weight of his words pressing heavily against my resolve. This man, this monster, had already destroyed so much. He could destroy everything I held dear with a single move. But I couldn’t let him win. Not again.
A realization slammed into me like a freight train, rattling my very being.
“You...” I gasped, my voice trembling with fear and anger. “You were the one who killed Isabelle and Armand, weren’t you?” The memories of that life were still vague, but I clung to fragments.
Mathias’ posture stiffened before he erupted into a cackle that sent shivers down my spine.
“How clever you are,” he said with vitriolic sweetness. “You figured me out. What’s the point of keeping secrets anymore?”
I felt the blood drain from my face as he continued, his words like venom sinking deep into my soul.
“Yes, I killed your family in your past life,” he admitted with cruel satisfaction. “I killed you, Armand, your children—all but Rosie.” His voice was a serrated blade, slicing through the fragile threads of my hope.
A sob caught in my throat, raw and aching. “So, it’s true—you sent the Timehunters after us.”
“Indeed,” Mathias confirmed, his laugh reverberating in the room, a sound more terrifying than any scream. “And it doesn’t end there. I killed Balthazar’s family, too. His wife, his children—they all met their end by my hand. It was my actions that broke him, that turned him into the monster you despise. I created him.”
I staggered back, the weight of his revelations threatening to crush me.
“As for you,” he said, leaning in closer, his breath hot and foul, “I’ve resisted the urge to kill you so many times in this life. Do you know why? Because I needed you. I needed you to recall the location of that cursed weapon from your previous existence. But now that you have it—and refuse to give it to me—I’ll make sure your death is slow and agonizing.”
He stepped even closer, his eyes dark and void of humanity. “Last time, I killed you too quickly. It was a mistake, and I had to wait for you to be reborn. This time, there will be no mercy. Unless, of course, you wish to fight me. But you won’t win, Olivia. You’ll never win.”
My mother stood motionless in the shadows, her silence more haunting than anything Mathias could say. Her betrayal and complicity felt like a blade twisting in my gut.
Mathias went on. “I won’t allow you to take what’s mine—not this time. It ends now, once the dagger is in my hands.”
“Did you follow me to Rome?” My voice broke, a mix of anger and despair giving it an edge.
A twisted smile curled his lips. “Of course I did. I sent the darkness after you. I sent Dahlia. You thought it was Balthazar, didn’t you?”
A gasp escaped me, the horrifying truth settling like ice in my veins.
“And Amara, too,” he added casually, though her name carried no weight. “I had her killed.”
The room spun. Each revelation was a hammer blow, each word a nail in the coffin of the life I thought I knew. Stunned by his confessions, I clung to the only certainty I had left—the steady warmth of my daughter slumbering peacefully in her cradle, blissfully unaware of the monsters surrounding her.
A soft whimper escaped Luna’s lips as I lifted her. Cradling her close to my chest, I edged toward the door, desperate to escape this madness.
Mathias stepped into my path.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he growled, leaning in close until his hot breath fogged my face. “You think you can just walk away without giving me what I want?”
His fingers dug into my arm like sharp blades, drawing blood as he squeezed tighter. “You will tell me where the daggers are, Olivia,” he growled, his eyes blazing with a dangerous obsession. “ Now.”
I struggled against his hold, shielding my crying baby as best I could. But his fingers tightened with unrelenting force, and I felt the sharp press of a blade at my neck, its cold edge threatening to draw more blood. My vision blurred as panic surged through me. Mathias was willing to kill me to get what he wanted.
I glanced at my mother lurking in the shadows, her face in a hard line.
“We need to apply more pressure to get her to talk,” she hissed, stepping forward. “Move aside, Father. Let’s see how she deals with this.” She reached for a candle from the dresser, the flickering flame casting ominous shadows across her features. Without hesitation, she thrust the flame against the heavy drapes.
“Stop it!” I screamed as the fabric caught fire, flames licking upward hungrily. “What are you trying to do?”
“That was your last chance, honey,” my mother sneered, her gaze locking on mine as the room filled with smoke. “No one’s coming to save you. The household won’t wake—they’re all sedated. Now, tell me where the blade is.”
The air thickened with suffocating heat. The room closed in around me.
“I swear, I do not have the blade,” I said, my grip tightening around my newborn daughter.
“You would sacrifice your flesh and blood rather than reveal the whereabouts of the Blade of Shadows?” My mother’s eyes flashed with wild, primal hunger. “Give us the blades. We’ll vanish. You’ll be free of us and never see us again.”
Overwhelmed by the crackling sounds of the spreading fire and the stifling heat, I repeated desperately, “I don’t have the blades!”
The fire spread rapidly, consuming the gilded wallpaper. Sparks ignited the rug, flames leaping higher.
Mathias and my mother blocked the exit, shielding their noses and mouths with their arms.
Tears streamed down my face, mingling with the sweat dripping from my forehead. I coughed violently, the acrid smoke invading my lungs. Luna’s cries pierced the air, high and terrified, and I clutched her closer, trying to shield her from the inferno.
“Please,” I said, my voice barely audible over the crackle of the flames that danced closer with every passing second. “I want to stay alive. I don’t have the moon dagger.”
If my life was ending, I at least wanted answers. Answers to the conversation I had overheard between Mathias and my mother. Answers to the confusion swirling around who my mother was.
“All those memories I have of you and the journal you wrote...they were all lies, weren’t they?”
“Yes, Olivia,” she said with chilling finality, her tone as cold as the fire was hot. “That journal was fabricated to lead Balthazar astray and make you believe I was leaving an abusive relationship. But the truth is, I’ve been the true villain all along.”
She stepped closer, her eyes burning with malice. “And now, you will suffer and die in this room with your daughter. Unless...” She leaned in, her voice a venomous whisper. “You tell us where the dagger is.”
Weakness seeped into my limbs, my arms trembling as they clutched Luna to my chest. The heat was unbearable, and Luna’s screams pierced through the thick smoke, drilling into my skull and pushing me to the edge of reason. I could feel my resolve crumbling, the secret threatening to spill from my lips. I wanted to protect my daughter. I had to protect Luna.
“Fine,” I choked out, the word blistering against the suffocating air. “I’ll tell you?—”
Before another syllable could escape, an inky blackness surged into the room, swirling with tendrils of dark energy. It slithered through the smog like a living, breathing force, cocooning around me and Luna. The oppressive heat vanished as the shadowy mass pushed back the flames, carving an eerie stillness into the chaos.
A woman’s voice, achingly familiar, filled the space.
“Miss me?” she taunted my mother.
My mother glared at the woman. “Zara?”
“It’s been a long time,” Zara purred. “Give Salvatore my regards.”
The presence of the energy ball and the sudden interruption felt surreal, a momentary respite from the hellish reality around me yet charged with a new kind of danger.
Then, everything went dark. This mysterious Zara woman was gone, and so was I.