Lussaria; Her Final Blade

chapter 15

Rosa woke early, the first rays of sunlight barely breaking through the trees. She had always been an early riser, trained to use the quiet moments before dawn to her advantage. Today, though, it was different. She was no longer working alone, no longer calling the shots—or at least, that’s what Nolan liked to think.

Rosa pulled on her clothes with steady hands, her mind already working through the possibilities. The tension in the house had been simmering since they arrived, but it was more than that—something in her gut told her they were running out of time. Staying still was a mistake.

She slipped out of her room without a sound, the old instincts of her past life slipping back into place as if they’d never left. Her footsteps were silent as she descended the stairs, and she stopped at the threshold of the living room when she heard voices inside.

Sonia was standing in front of Nolan and Ander, her arms crossed, her posture as sharp as her tone. “We can’t wait any longer, Nolan. We hit them before they hit us. This is our best shot.”

Nolan, leaning against the mantel, shook his head. “And walk into their territory blind? No. We stay here, we keep them at bay.”

Rosa stepped into the room, drawing all eyes to her. She wasn’t the same woman they’d dragged into this safe house. She wasn’t just some frightened runaway. She was Rosa—an assassin trained to fight, to survive. And she was done letting others dictate her next move.

“I agree with Sonia,” Rosa said, her voice calm but firm. Nolan straightened, his eyes narrowing slightly at the unexpected support. “Sitting here and waiting for them to strike is playing right into their hands. We need to act. We need to be the ones in control.”

Nolan’s gaze hardened. “You’re still a hostage in this, Rosa. You don’t—”

“I don’t what, Nolan?” Rosa cut him off, her eyes locked on his. “Don’t understand the risks? Don’t know how to handle myself? I was an assassin long before any of this. I know how these people think. I know what they’re capable of. And sitting around doing nothing is exactly what they want us to do.”

Sonia raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by Rosa’s support, but she quickly recovered. “There’s a masquerade ball tomorrow night,” she said, picking up where Rosa left off. “dante balanche is hosting it. We go in, blend with the crowd, gather intel, and find out what their next move is.”

Nolan’s jaw tightened. He didn’t like it—Rosa could see that. He wasn’t the type to rush into anything without careful planning, and she respected that. But this wasn’t the time for caution. This was the time to take control of the situation before it spiraled any further out of hand.

“And what’s your role in this, Rosa?” Nolan asked, his voice low. “You plan to walk in there like nothing ever happened? They’ll recognize you.”

Rosa smirked, her old confidence bleeding through. “They won’t. The masks, the anonymity—it works in our favor. I know how to blend in. I’ll be just another face in the crowd. Besides,” she added, her voice lowering, “if things go south, I know how to get out.”

Nolan’s eyes flicked toward Sonia, then Ander. He was weighing the options, but Rosa could see that he was starting to accept that this was the only real course of action. Sitting here waiting for an inevitable attack wasn’t just dangerous—it was reckless.

“Fine,” Nolan finally said, his voice measured. “We’ll go. But this is a recon mission only. We gather information and we leave. No unnecessary risks.”

Rosa met his gaze, unflinching. “Understood.”

As Sonia nodded and began making the necessary arrangements, Rosa felt a strange calm wash over her. It had been so long since she’d been in control of anything—since she’d felt like she had a say in her own fate. Nolan may have been running this operation, but Rosa wasn’t some helpless hostage. Not anymore.

When Sonia left the room, Rosa remained, her eyes still on Nolan. He stood straighter now, his expression unreadable, but Rosa didn’t miss the way he was watching her. He knew—maybe more than anyone—what she was capable of. And in that moment, she realized something else: he wasn’t just concerned about the mission. He was concerned about what she might do.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Rosa,” Nolan said quietly, his voice devoid of its earlier sharpness.

“I’ve been playing dangerous games my whole life,” she replied coolly. “You’re the one who’s keeping me in a cage, pretending it’s for my safety.”

Nolan’s eyes darkened. “You think you’re ready for this?”

“I’m more than ready,” she said, her voice sharp. “I’ve been ready since the moment you dragged me into this.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The tension between them was palpable, but there was something else there too—a grudging respect. Nolan wasn’t used to being challenged, but he wasn’t naïve enough to dismiss her either.

“Tomorrow night, we’ll see just how ready you are,” he finally said, pushing off from the mantel. “But remember this, Rosa—you’re still a hostage. If you even think about running—”

Rosa’s lips curved into a cold smile. “You won’t have to worry about that, Nolan. I’m not running anymore.”

Nolan didn’t reply. Instead, he gave her one last look before turning and walking out of the room. Rosa watched him go, her heart steady, her mind clear. She wasn’t the scared woman Nolan had rescued. She wasn’t even the assassin she used to be. She was something new—something stronger.

And tomorrow night, at the masquerade ball, she would prove it.