Chapter 43 Raffaele
RAFFAELE
The line for the ferry was far longer than my patience could handle.
We were so damn close to getting to Vivian, and yet we were shuffling forward at an agonizingly slow pace.
The salty air stung my nostrils, the distant roar of the waves beneath the dock doing nothing to soothe the simmering rage inside me.
I clenched my fists, feeling the last vestiges of my magic curling weakly inside me. It wasn’t enough, not nearly enough for what I needed to do. Before all of this, I wouldn’t have even noticed the drain of casting a simple illusion. Now, I felt the effort deep in my bones.
Luca gave me a sidelong glance. “You’re going to snap if you don’t calm down,” he said under his breath.
I shot him a glare. “I don’t have the luxury of calm.”
Ahead of us, the ferry guards scanned faces with enchanted devices, their sharp eyes catching even the slightest irregularity.
When we were close enough to the front of the line, I stepped forward and let the dregs of my magic flow through me.
It was like pulling water from a cracked well, the energy sluggish and reluctant.
I gritted my teeth, forcing the illusion to take shape.
Dark armor emblazoned with the emblem of the Ashen Faction shimmered into existence over each of us. Our faces shifted subtly, taking on features common among the guards I’d studied earlier. The magic was crude, far from my usual precision, but it would have to do.
“Keep your mouths shut and follow my lead,” I said through gritted teeth. Holding the illusion was taking all my focus.
The guards at the entrance eyed us as we approached. They scanned Luca first, their enchanted device emitting a faint glow before the guard nodded and waved him through.
Camilla went next, then Vincenzo, then me. Each of us passed without issue—until they got to Dorian.
The device hesitated, its glow flickering before turning red.
“Step aside,” the guard barked, narrowing his eyes.
Dorian raised his hands, his signature grin in place. “Whoa, no need to get excited. Must be a glitch in your fancy gadget.”
“Quiet,” the guard snapped, gesturing for a second guard to approach.
My heart pounded as I felt my control over the illusion waver. I couldn’t hold it much longer.
Vincenzo stepped forward, his massive frame casting a shadow over both guards. “Is there a problem?” he rumbled.
The guards exchanged a glance before the second one spoke. “It’s fine. Just a glitch,” he said, reluctantly waving Dorian through.
“See?” Dorian said, sauntering forward. “Told you. Technology, am I right?”
I blew out a breath as we boarded the ferry. Once we were out of sight of the guards, I dropped the illusion, staggering slightly as the effort caught up with me.
“Shadow, you look like shit,” Dorian said.
I braced myself against the railing. “Thanks for the observation.”
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Camilla said. “You’re running on fumes.”
I ignored her, my focus shifting to the island in the distance. The jagged cliffs rose from the water like teeth. The palace perched atop them was a gleaming beacon of menacing beauty.
The ferry ride felt like an eternity, the rhythmic rocking of the boat doing little to calm my nerves. The bond with Vivian was a fragile thread stretched too thin, but it was still there. It was the only thing keeping me upright.
The ferry docked, and we stepped off into the chaos of the Tide Market.
The market was a sprawling labyrinth of stone terraces that descended toward the waves.
Every available space was crammed with stalls carrying mystical items—enchanted jewelry, forbidden potions, artifacts emanating dark energy.
The voices of merchants and buyers blended into a cacophony of bartering and deal-making.
Sirens with hauntingly beautiful faces peddled enchanted shells that played faint melodies. Fae vendors displayed elixirs in glowing vials, their vibrant colors almost hypnotic. Shifters with sharp eyes and quick hands bartered rare ingredients.
The air smelled of sea salt and damp earth, mingling with a metallic tang from enchanted weapons on display. It should have been fascinating, but I couldn’t focus on any of it. All I could think of was Vivian.
Camilla took the lead, guiding us through the chaos. “Keep moving.”
As I followed her, I scanned the crowd for any sign of danger. The Tide Market was a hive of activity, but beneath the bustling surface was a palpable undercurrent of tension. Everyone here had secrets, and none of them were innocent.
“This place gives me the fucking creeps,” Dorian muttered, his hand hovering near the hilt of his blade.
“Good,” Vincenzo said. “That means you’ll stay sharp.”
The palace’s crystalline domes reflected the fading light of the day, casting a kaleidoscope of colors over the jagged cliffs.
“Almost there,” Camilla said, glancing back at me.
Her words were meant to be reassuring, but they only tightened the knot in my chest. I needed to see Vivian. I needed to know she was safe.
The bond pulsed, and I clenched my fists, my determination hardening.
Every step closer to the palace was a battle against myself.
My illusions, once effortless and precise, were now fragile things held together by sheer will.
Each second felt like an eternity, the strain gnawing at what little magic I had left.
My muscles ached from the effort of maintaining our disguises.
Camilla stopped abruptly, turning to face us.
Her sharp gaze swept over the group. “This place is going to be crawling with guards. Like all mafia lord homes, this one will be heavily fortified. Every corner will be covered, every entry watched. We won’t be able to waltz in unnoticed.
And if we’re discovered, Izo will fucking delight in torturing us to within an inch of our lives. ”
“We’ll give it our best damn shot,” I said through gritted teeth.
She raised an eyebrow but said nothing, clearly unimpressed by my plan—or lack thereof.
Vincenzo stepped forward, his massive frame casting a shadow over the rest of us. “What exactly is the plan, Shadow?”
I turned to him, meeting his unwavering stare. “It’s simple. Find Vivian. Take her back. If Izo gets in the way, he dies.”
Dorian let out a low whistle. “That’s not much of a plan. I love it.”
“It’s not well thought out,” I admitted, ignoring his sarcasm. “But I’m done playing Izo’s game. He’s been a thorn in my side for too long. If this is how it ends, so be it.”
“Straightforward and violent.” Vincenzo nodded. “I can work with that.”
“Let’s just hope your illusions hold up long enough to get us inside,” Camilla said.
The effort of maintaining the illusion was already taking its toll. The shimmering armor felt like it might dissolve at any moment. I hated feeling like this. Powerless. Weak. And at the one time in my life when I needed my strength the most.
As we approached the palace grounds, the true scope of its defenses came into view. Guards in shimmering, iridescent armor patrolled in synchronized movements, wielding enchanted blades and spears.
Even though my every instinct screamed at me to attack, to storm the palace and tear through anyone who dared stand in my way, I kept my head down. My magic was almost gone, and brute force wasn’t an option.
The bond with Vivian flared, her fear reaching me through the oppressive haze. It was enough to remind me that I couldn’t afford to lose control. Not yet.
“Keep moving,” Luca murmured beside me.
I nodded. Each step felt like a gamble, every glance from a patrolling soldier a risk that the illusion would fail.
Camilla paused at the base of a narrow staircase carved into the cliffside, gesturing for us to follow. “Based on the schematics I found online, this will take us to a side entrance. Less guarded, but still a risk.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Online?”
She shrugged. “You can find a lot of fucked-up shit on the dark web. You just have to know where to look and how to access it. Vivian taught me that.”
“Every inch of this place is a risk,” Dorian muttered.
“No shit,” Camilla shot back.
We moved in single file, the waves crashing below masking our footsteps. My grip on the illusion was slipping, the edges of the magic fraying with each passing moment. Sweat dripped down my back, my breath coming in short, strained bursts.
As we reached the top of the stairs, we found ourselves on a terrace overlooking the palace grounds. The main entrance was a hive of activity, guards and servants moving in a well-orchestrated dance.
“This way,” Camilla said, motioning toward a smaller doorway partially concealed behind a cluster of bioluminescent coral.
We crossed the terrace as quickly and quietly as we could, slipping past the outer perimeter of guards. When we reached the door, Camilla paused, pressing her ear against it. “No movement inside,” she whispered.
She pushed it open, and we stepped into the palace.
The cool, damp air inside was a stark contrast to the briny breeze outside. The walls were alive with the same bioluminescence that lit the Tide Market. Streams of enchanted water ran along the floors and walls, casting rippling shadows across the space.
I clenched my fists, forcing my breathing to steady as I scanned our surroundings. “We made it in. Now we find her.”
Dorian grinned. “And then?”
“And then,” I said, my voice cold as ice, “we end this.”
Vivian was here. I could feel it.
And I would tear this place apart to get her back.
Every step forward was an exercise in restraint. My thoughts were entirely on Vivian—on finding her, on making sure she was safe.
We hadn’t made it far past the entryway when I felt the illusion slipping from my control.
A rush of cold panic shot through me as I tried to summon what little magic I had left to stabilize it, but it was no use.
The energy drained out of me like water through a sieve, and the false armor disappeared, leaving us exposed.
“Shadow,” Vincenzo growled. He stepped closer to me, his large frame a physical shield as he glanced sharply at Luca. “The illusion is gone. Luca, cover us.”
Luca’s shadows began to stretch and coil around us, creeping across the floor like sentient smoke. He worked quickly, weaving the dark tendrils into a makeshift shield.
But shadows couldn’t go unnoticed in a place like this.
I caught movement from the corner of my eye just as a shout rang out. Two guards turned the corner and raised their long spears.
“Too late,” Dorian muttered, his hand twitching toward the blade at his side.
The guards charged. Luca reacted instantly, sending his shadows lashing toward them. The tendrils coiled and struck, knocking one guard back while the other deflected the attack with a sweep of his spear.
“Don’t waste your energy,” I barked.
Luca hesitated, his shadows recoiling slightly as he turned to me.
“Let them take us. They’ll bring us to Izo. That’s where Vivian will be.”
Vincenzo gave me a sharp look. “You’d better be right about this.”
I met his gaze, my expression hard. “I am.”
Reluctantly, Luca let his shadows dissipate, the dark tendrils melting away into the air. The guards hesitated, as if waiting for a trick, before advancing again with renewed determination.
One guard raised his hand, magic shimmering between his fingers. The air around us shifted, and suddenly, a translucent sphere materialized around me. It expanded quickly, encasing me in a bubble that floated a few inches off the ground.
I pressed my hands against the inside of the sphere. The strange, unyielding surface rippled at my touch. It was magic, but an unfamiliar blend of something ancient and aquatic.
The guards moved swiftly, trapping each of us in our floating cell. Vincenzo’s bubble barely seemed large enough to contain him. His broad shoulders brushed against the edges.
“Nice accommodations,” Dorian muttered. “A bit snug, but I’ve had worse.”
“Shut up,” Camilla hissed.
The guards waved their hands, and the spheres levitated smoothly down the corridors. The hallways we passed were intricately designed, the walls alive with glowing coral and shimmering streams of water.
Despite the strange beauty of the palace, my focus remained razor-sharp. I reached for the bond, searching for any sign of Vivian. She was here, somewhere, and she was afraid.
“Shadow,” Vincenzo said, his voice low and steady. “If this doesn’t work—”
“It will,” I interrupted, my tone brooking no argument.
Vincenzo didn’t press further, but I could sense his doubt.
He wasn’t wrong to question me. I was practically powerless.
Every instinct I had screamed to fight, to break free, and to tear through anyone standing between me and Vivian.
But my magic was nearly gone, and logic dictated that brute force would only get us killed.
The guards led us deeper into the palace, the hallways narrowing and twisting. It was a clever way to disorient intruders. The faint melody in the air grew louder, a haunting tune that seemed to dig into my mind, amplifying every worry and fear.
“You know,” Dorian said after a while, “if we’re about to get executed, I’d like it noted that I thought this plan was a bad idea from the start.”
Camilla let out a sound that was somewhere between a scoff and a laugh. “Noted.”