LOGINThe moment I stepped into Alexei's office, his scent filled the air, instantly evoking a mix of fear and longing in me.I stood near the door and watched as he walked calmly toward his desk. When he turned around, our eyes met for a moment before he gestured for me to sit down.I obeyed and took the chair in front of him. Alexei leaned against the edge of the desk. His gaze was cold, yet there was something about the way he looked at me as if he were stripping away every layer of my composure. He removed his wristwatch and set it down. The faint tick-tock blended with the uneven rhythm of my breathing."Why did you ignore my message, Anna?" he asked.Of course—that would be the first thing he mentioned. I lowered my gaze, too afraid to look directly at him."I'm sorry, sir," I murmured."Are you trying to get back at me because I've been ignoring you lately?"His words caught me off guard. That thought had never crossed my mind. Back at the garden, I just didn't want to upset Gabriel
Returning to Bastorin only made me feel even more suffocated. I had to lie to Isolde and tell her that my father’s condition was improving. Luckily, she did not realize that on the day I took leave, Tisha and the twins were also absent from the academy. After that, everything felt quiet. Nothing happened. I had not seen Alexei for more than a week. I could not help but wonder if what he said was true—if Nightshade really was in danger.That was not supposed to be my concern, because I was never meant to sit on the syndicate’s throne. However, ever since I became one of The Heir candidates, it had started to feel like my burden too. If Nightshade were to fall, then there would be no one left to rule—because the entire syndicate would already be gone.“Anna?” A soft voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned around and found Gabriel standing beside me. Since when had he been there? Had he seen me dozing off while reading in the library? He pulled out a chair, almost silently, and s
Pain shot through my body the moment I opened my eyes. The sunlight streaming into the room stung my eyes until they burned. I saw the curtains were already drawn, and judging by the brightness, it must have been late morning. I got up from the bed wearily and noticed the connecting door was open; the other room was empty.Where was Gabriel?Finally, I stepped out of the bedroom, dragging my feet down to the first floor. A chill greeted me even though it was warm outside. The mansion felt unnervingly cold inside. I wandered down the empty corridor, checking the drawing room, but it was deserted. I searched the entire ground floor, hoping to find someone. No one was there—not in the dining room, not in the kitchen.My steps halted at the back door, and I pushed it open. The back terrace was quiet, lifeless. Yet, at a distance, near the edge of the forest, I spotted a gazebo, and there were people gathered there. Without thinking twice, I walked toward it. Sure enough, Gabriel, Natha
I sat on the bed, waiting for the connecting door to open. My body had already sent every signal that it needed rest, but I could not close my eyes even for a second. The horrifying memory of what had just happened kept replaying in my head.Then came the soft creak of the connecting door. Gabriel appeared, looking awkward when our eyes met. His hair was half-wet, and I could smell the same soap scent on him that I used. He walked over and stood by the edge of my bed. “Why aren’t you sleeping?” he asked. I shook my head. “I’m scared, Gabriel.” “Anna, it’s all over now.” Gabriel sat on the edge of the bed, looking at me with concern. “Don’t think about it anymore.” “We killed people, Gabriel.” I took a deep breath, struggling to hold back my tears. “I know, Anna. But if we hadn’t, we would have been the ones dead.” “I just…” My voice broke.I started crying again, overcome by guilt and remorse. What if those people had families waiting for them at home? How would their loved ones
My eyes burned, the pain sharp like needles stabbing through them, and my chest felt painfully tight as I struggled to breathe. I could hear Nathaniel, Dimitri, and Tisha shouting. Meanwhile, Gabriel covered half of my face so I would not inhale more of the gas. “Out! Out!” Gabriel yelled.We all ran out, but as soon as Nathaniel opened the door, a machete came swinging.Clang!! The sound of two metals clashing rang sharply in my ears. Even with my blurry vision, I saw Nathaniel manage to deflect the sudden attack. Nathaniel and Tisha immediately moved forward like killing machines, striking down several figures standing on the porch. “Behind me, Anna!” Gabriel ordered.Gabriel joined Nathaniel and Tisha, while Dimitri fought off attackers coming from another direction. I stood frozen, confused, and terrified. A flash of light glinted from the attacker’s blade aimed straight at me—but suddenly Tisha blocked it with her dagger. She shoved her dagger right into the attacker’s neck,
"Oh, you did not know Anna has two guard dogs, huh?" That remark came from Tisha's lips, followed by a scoff and a smirk. She immediately crawled onto the mat at the far end and leaned her body against the wall."We put our differences aside," said Gabriel."What kind of differences?" Dimitri looked confused."That I, Nathaniel, and Anna are still family. I think we need to set our egos aside and stop acting like strangers."Dimitri's confusion was written all over his face, lit by the glow of the emergency lamp in the middle of the room. But he said nothing."Say, Dimitri, are you not afraid that the three of them will work together to get rid of you first?" Tisha chimed in.I could see the shock had not yet left Dimitri's face. I knew how close the twins were to Victoria—a cousin bond thicker than blood, as Victoria herself once boasted. If she knew about this now, I could only imagine her reaction. Slapped by reality? Maybe.And Dimitri couldn't tell her anything. Victoria would s







