Chapter 112 Ch. 82
Lorenzo stared at her for a long time, the room falling into a silence so deep that Ivanna could hear the ticking of a clock on the wall. He tapped his fingers on the desk, looking at Ivanna and then at Zara, who was standing by the door with her arms crossed.
"You are very brave when you think you have nothing to lose," Lorenzo said, finally standing up from his chair. “Isn’t love such a wonderful thing? Although I must admit it is tiring watching everyone act so stupid in the name of love. Seriously, we can all be more creative than that.”
“It’s not funny,” Ivanna hissed. “How would you like being locked up for long?”
“I take accountability for my actions. If I deserved it, I wouldn’t mind it.”
“Accountability, huh?” Scoffed Ivanna. “Like there’s anyone capable of holding you accountable.”
He walked around the desk, stopping just a few inches away from Ivanna. "But you should remember who gave you that life you are so willing to throw away."
“Well for one, it wasn’t you.”
Lorenzo smiled and his eyes flickered to Zara. “If I had chosen to kill her, you wouldn’t be here. I spared her which in turn gave you life.”
“You’re so self-obsessed,” she hissed. “But I know you will do what I say. You love your secrets more than you love punishing Dylan. So choose, let him out, or I’ll let our secret out.”
Lorenzo looked at her for another moment, then he turned his head toward one of the men standing in the shadows of the room. "Go to the basement. Bring Dylan up here."
Ivanna felt a wave of relief so strong she almost felt dizzy, but she kept her face blank. She wasn't going to leave until she saw Dylan with her own eyes. Lorenzo muttered something under his breath, walking over to a small cabinet and pouring himself a drink. He didn't offer her one. He just stood there, staring out the window at the gardens, waiting for his orders to be followed.
Zara moved closer to Ivanna, standing at her side.
A few minutes later, the sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway. The door opened and Dylan was led into the room. He looked terrible; but well at the same time. When he saw Ivanna, his eyes widened and he took a shaky step toward her.
"Ivanna?" he asked, his voice sounding weak.
"Oh my God," she said, rushing to him and planting a kiss on his face.
He hugged her for a long time before pulling back. He looked over at Lorenzo, who was still swirling the ice in his glass.
“Are you satisfied now, brother?” Dylan asked, spitting the word out venomously.
“Satisfied? Hardly,” Lorenzo said, finally turning around. “I was actually hoping you’d spend another night downstairs. The quiet was doing wonders for my headache.”
“I’m sure,” Dylan snapped, leaning heavily against Ivanna. “Must be hard being the only person in the house you actually like talking to.”
“It has its moments,” Lorenzo replied with a small, dry smile.
“Let Ethan and Jace out too,” Zara said, her voice shaking but firm. She stepped forward, standing beside Dylan.
Lorenzo laughed, a short, sharp sound that didn't have any humor in it. "You are getting greedy, Zara. I made a deal with Ivanna for my brother. Ethan and Jace are a different matter entirely. They stay where they are until I decide otherwise."
"You can't do that," Zara argued, her face flushing red. "They haven't done anything to you. It's cruel."
"Cruelty is such a subjective word," Lorenzo said, taking a slow sip of his drink. "I call it security. Ethan is too dangerous to have wandering the halls, especially with you feeling so... rebellious lately."
"I'm not being rebellious, I'm being human!" Zara shouted. She looked at Dylan, hoping for support. "Tell him, Dylan. Tell him he's being a monster."
Dylan opened his mouth to speak, but Lorenzo held up a hand. "Careful, Dylan. You just got your fresh air. Don't make me send you back down there just to keep your friends company. I'm sure the basement has enough room for one more."
"No!" Zara screamed, her head snapping backwards as if someone had pulled her hair.
A sudden, erratic vision flooded her mind, moving too fast for her to catch. It was a blur of a fight, the sound of metal clashing, sparks of what she felt was magic, and people shouting. It felt fake, like a staged play, but then a dark presence began to close in on her. The images became distorted, twisting into shapes she didn't recognize.
The scene shifted, mixing with flashes of when she had been kidnapped before. Around her, the room was in chaos. Ivanna and Dylan were reaching for her, their mouths moving, but she couldn't hear what they were saying over the noise in her head.
"Seize Imogen!" Lorenzo screamed, pointing at the doorway. Fear gripped his heart wildly. "And check on Ethan! Now!"
The men who had been standing in the corners of the room scrambled to follow his orders. Zara felt her knees give out and she hit the floor hard. The flashing images in her mind suddenly stopped, leaving her staring up at the white ceiling.
"War..." Zara whispered, her voice so faint it was barely a breath. "Someone will die... many will die."
Her eyes began to roll back into her head, and her breathing became shallow and uneven. She tried to say something else, but the words were just a jumble of sounds that didn't make sense. Her body went limp, and she passed out completely before she could finish the sentence.