76

76
For the next three days, I could barely move.

Gosto stayed with me whenever he could, though most of his time was claimed by the war preparations. Still, I was never left alone. Not even for a second. Diamante was by my side most often, but Leandro also came frequently, offering help or just quiet company. Their protectiveness was relentless at times, they treated me as though I’d shattered every bone in my body and couldn't so much as lift a spoon. I cursed at them often, but I preferred their smothering presence over solitude.

When I could finally walk again, I stepped outside and truly appreciated the secluded majesty of Gosto’s hidden refuge. The estate was nestled high in the Shadespire Mountains, encircled by the Light Forest. The name wasn’t poetic the trees genuinely shimmered with golden-yellow leaves, glowing like lanterns. The estate sprawled across several acres, with a vast clearing at the forest’s center, where Gosto’s army had erected their encampment.

“This place… it’s another power spot, isn’t it?” I asked, pausing as the ground seemed to hum beneath my feet.

Diamante gave a knowing smile. “It is. Though few know about it. Through the centuries, people rarely dared to come near.”

“Why?” I asked, puzzled.

She glanced toward the trees. “Legend says a female angel died here. She was carrying a child an early pregnancy. They say her heart broke, and she died from the grief. Before she did, she cursed this land.”

I gave a nervous laugh. “But that’s just a myth… right?”

Diamante nodded. “Not quite the whole story. Others believe she blessed the land, leaving behind her eternal peace. The golden leaves are said to be the result of that blessing.”

Whether it was myth or truth, I didn’t know. But I could feel the power woven into the earth, wild and undisturbed, especially when I wandered beneath the trees.

“Is that why Gosto was able to buy this place? Because people thought it was cursed?”

Diamante let out a soft chuckle. “Superstition can be very useful when wielded properly. Gosto vowed to bind the land with his blood, and the locals were more than happy to sell it for the cost of a modest apartment.”

My eyes widened. “They gave up all this for that?”

“They did,” she said with a crooked grin. “But now that Gosto’s blood no longer guarantees protection not with the enemy we’re facing that binding won’t be enough.”

My curiosity piqued. “It’s blood magic, right? A protective barrier?”

She nodded. “Yes. From what I know, it requires a ritual and a few drops of powerful blood. Once set, it creates a trap. The only way to bypass it is by sharing the blood of the caster or walking the boundary with them.”

“So... similar to the traps guarding the tunnels at Gosto’s residence?” When she nodded again, an idea struck me. “Could my blood work to create those traps?”

Diamante’s mouth pulled into a tight smile. “I think it needs to be vampire blood. Sorry, Domitilla.”

I offered a shrug. “Had to ask.”

We continued toward the training grounds, and I stopped short in admiration. Over two hundred warriors shifters and vampires moved in perfect synchrony. Fosco barked commands from the front while Gosto and Leandro stood a little distance away, deep in discussion. As Diamante and I approached, Gosto caught sight of us and motioned to Fosco, who quickly stepped aside.

Gosto took my hands and drew me closer.

“I want you at the war meeting,” he said. “It begins in an hour. Join us in the main house.”

I nodded. “I’ll be there.”

“A few new allies will be attending. But remember,” he added with a pointed look, “you’re safe beside me.”

His words sent a flicker of unease down my spine. Just who were these new allies?

Diamante and I walked a little longer before heading back to the main house. Despite us being in hiding, Gosto had somehow transported several elegant dresses into my new wardrobe. I chose a sleek black, knee-length dress with wide shoulder straps and an asymmetrical neckline. My body had recovered enough to allow me heels, and the extra three inches added just the right touch of confidence.

I walked to the meeting room and opened the door with quiet resolve. The room was packed with unfamiliar faces, the air heavy with tension. Gosto stood at the head of the long table. When our eyes met, he gestured for me to join him. I moved quickly, smiling, but as I passed the gathered allies, one face stopped me cold.

“Ivano?” I whispered, stunned. My hand instinctively went to where my night stone dagger should have been.

Gosto caught my wrist, pulling me gently beside him. “That’s not Ivano. It’s his twin Lazaro.”

I stared, heart thudding, at the man who looked like the ghost of the wolf I’d killed. But his eyes… they were different. Cold, yes but calm. No hatred burned there. Though he shared his brother’s build and presence, there was no bloodlust radiating from him.

He nodded in greeting. I returned it with a shaky smile.

“Sit with me,” Gosto said, guiding me to the chair beside his.

Once we were seated, the rest of the room followed. It felt strange occupying such a prominent seat stranger still that more eyes lingered on me than on Gosto. Fosco and Leandro sat to his right, Diamante and Ermes to his left. The remaining seats were filled by new allies names and faces I didn’t know.

Then I noticed one empty chair at the opposite end of the table. I glanced at Gosto, a silent question in my eyes. Before I could speak, the door opened again, and someone I hadn’t hoped to see entered: Romeo Pirozzi.

He offered a stiff bow to Gosto and took the vacant seat. “I…” He cleared his throat, sparing me a glance. “Apologies for my delay.”

Gosto’s voice was cool. “Next time, plan your journey more wisely, Romeo.”

He’d pointedly dropped Romeo’s title and the tension it caused in the room was unmistakable. Romeo gritted his teeth but remained silent, lowering his head.

Then Gosto leaned forward. “As you all now know, my brother Aronne is alive and he intends to claim the Underworld throne.”

A man near Romeo rose from his seat. Towering and broad-shouldered, he ran a hand through his dark curls before speaking. “This sounds like nothing more than a family dispute. Why should my Silverblade Pack support you, Lord Agostino? What makes you better than your brother?”

Gosto’s lips curved into a cold smile. “Alpha Oreste, you never met my brother. Decades ago, he was kind. Now, he is a hollow shell a vessel for something darker. There’s hardly anything human left in him.”

Oreste scoffed. “What sort of demon would inhabit him?”

“Beliale,” I said, drawing all attention to myself. A twinge of anxiety twisted in me, but Gosto squeezed my hand in quiet encouragement. “I saw Aronne make a pact with him in a vision.”

“In a vision?” Oreste laughed. “You expect us to take that seriously?”

“She’s telling the truth,” Lazaro said, rising to his feet. I startled, but Gosto gave him a nod to continue. “My father, Alighiero Vannini, believes siding with the strongest will bring peace so he aligned our Fang White Pack with a monster. I refused, and that’s why I’m here. I have a gift when I touch someone, I hear fragments of their thoughts. When I shook Aronne’s hand, I didn’t just hear his voice I heard Beliale’s.”

He paused, eyes sweeping the table.

“Claiming the throne is only the beginning. Aronne acts on the demon’s will. And what Beliale wants... is the end of everything.”

A grim chuckle escaped Gosto. “Well, Alpha Oreste? There’s your answer. Or would you prefer to watch the world end?”

Oreste huffed, unconvinced. “And why should we trust you to stop him? What makes you our savior?”

Before Gosto could reply, Lazaro spoke again.

“Because Beliale can be defeated. And Lord Agostino has the one weapon the demon fears.” He raised his hand and pointed straight at me. “She is that weapon.”