Crimson Veil (Book I)

Gathering Storms

The cold night air hit Elena like a wave as they stepped outside the Citadel. She drew in a deep breath, still shaken by the events inside. Lucien stayed close to her, his arm steadying her as they walked. Dante trailed slightly behind, his usual swagger returning but tempered with a quiet intensity.

"We need to move quickly," Lucien said, his voice low and urgent. "Kallista's son might be down, but we can't assume Kallista won't make her move now that she knows we've interfered."

Dante glanced over his shoulder at the looming Citadel behind them. "Yeah, I'm not exactly in the mood to face a vengeful mother with ancient magic at her disposal. Let's get as far from here as we can."

Elena nodded, though her mind was still swirling. The power she had felt, the darkness of the ritual, the weight of Kallista's son's words—they were all pressing down on her. "We have to figure out what her next move is. She won't just give up because we stopped her son."

Lucien's jaw tightened, his face a mask of concentration. "Kallista's dangerous, but now she's desperate. We've disrupted her plan, and that makes her unpredictable. We need to find a safe place to regroup and plan our next steps."

Dante rolled his eyes, though his tone was serious. "Regroup? Plan? Sounds like we're right back where we started. Can't we just—"

"No," Lucien cut him off, his tone sharp. "We can't just rush in blind. That's how people get killed."

Dante held up his hands in mock surrender, though the tension between them was palpable. "Alright, alright, I get it. You're the careful one."

Elena, sensing the rising tension, stepped in. "Enough. We don't have time for this. Kallista is out there, and we don't know what she's planning. We need to focus."

Lucien's gaze softened as he looked at her. "You're right. We need to stay ahead of her."

Dante huffed, though his expression was less antagonistic. "Fine. But where exactly are we regrouping? Because if we're walking into another trap, I'd like to know about it."

Lucien looked thoughtful, his eyes scanning the horizon. "There's a place, not far from here. It's hidden, a sanctuary used by the magical families in times of war. Kallista won't be able to find us there—not easily."

Elena nodded. "Then let's go."

They made their way through the rocky terrain, the dark silhouettes of the mountains looming around them. The further they got from the Citadel, the more Elena could feel the weight of the magic lifting from her, but the unease never fully left her. Kallista's son had spoken of destiny, of their bloodlines merging, and she couldn't shake the feeling that even though they had stopped him, the danger wasn't over.

Dante, sensing her unease, fell into step beside her. "You're quiet."

Elena forced a small smile. "Just... thinking."

Dante raised an eyebrow. "That's never a good sign."

She sighed, her voice soft. "It's just... everything he said. The prophecy, the magic. I don't know what to believe anymore."

Dante's expression softened slightly, his usual teasing absent. "Prophecies are just stories. It doesn't mean you have to follow them. You've got a choice, Elena. Don't forget that."

Elena glanced at him, grateful for his words. "Thanks, Dante. I needed to hear that."

He grinned, his cocky demeanor returning. "I know. I'm good at this."

Lucien, walking ahead, glanced back at them. "We're almost there. Once we reach the sanctuary, we can rest and figure out our next move."

As they neared the sanctuary, Elena could see a faint glow in the distance, hidden within the jagged rocks. The entrance was barely visible, a crack in the stone that led down into the earth. Lucien guided them through the narrow passage, and soon they were inside—a large underground chamber that glowed with soft, magical light. The air was warmer here, and the oppressive weight of the outside world seemed to ease.

"This place is safe?" Dante asked, eyeing the glowing walls suspiciously.

Lucien nodded. "As safe as anywhere can be. The wards here are ancient. Kallista won't be able to track us."

Elena exhaled slowly, feeling the tension in her body begin to loosen. "Good. We need time to regroup."

Lucien turned to face them, his expression serious. "We also need to figure out how to deal with Kallista. We stopped her son, but we can't assume she won't strike back. She's lost her biggest piece, and that makes her unpredictable."

Dante leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "Unpredictable? That's putting it lightly. She's probably plotting revenge as we speak."

Elena looked between them, her mind still racing. "Then what do we do? We can't just wait for her to come after us."

Lucien nodded. "No, we can't. We need to strike first. But we need more information. We don't know enough about Kallista's plan—how far she's willing to go, or what else she's hiding."

Dante smirked. "You know, we could always try something drastic. Shake her up, force her to make a move before she's ready."

Lucien frowned. "That's risky."

"Yeah, well," Dante shrugged, "so is doing nothing."

Elena sighed, rubbing her temples. "There has to be something we're missing. Kallista was so confident. She had everything planned out. She wouldn't have put everything on her son. There's more to this."

Lucien looked thoughtful, his eyes narrowing. "She's always been one step ahead. Maybe... maybe there's another piece we haven't seen yet. Something she's kept hidden."

Dante raised an eyebrow. "And how do we find that out?"

Lucien's voice was calm but firm. "We need to find someone who knows Kallista better than we do."

Elena's heart skipped a beat. "Who?"

Lucien hesitated, his gaze locking onto hers. "Someone who's been on the inside. Someone who's worked with her."

Dante frowned. "And who exactly are you thinking of?"

Lucien's expression darkened. "Mira."

Elena felt a chill run down her spine at the mention of Mira. The rogue mind mage had helped them once before, but her loyalties were questionable at best. "You really think she'll help us?"

Lucien's jaw tightened. "We don't have a choice. She knows more about Kallista than anyone. If there's a way to stop her, Mira might be the key."

Dante groaned, pushing off the wall. "Great. More deals with the devil."

Elena glanced at Lucien, her mind racing. "Do you trust her?"

Lucien met her gaze, his voice quiet but firm. "I trust her to want Kallista stopped. Beyond that, we'll have to be careful."

Dante let out a low chuckle. "Careful? That's not exactly our style."

Lucien's eyes softened as he looked at Elena. "We'll figure this out. But we need to move quickly. Kallista won't wait."

Elena nodded, her resolve hardening. They had come too far to let Kallista win now. No matter what it took, they would find a way to stop her.

"We go after Mira," she said, her voice steady. "And then we end this."