Semua Bab The mafia’s captive : Bab 151 - Bab 160

The early light of dawn struck the Spire’s obsidian towers like a blade. Bain and his brothers gathered at the shattered western wall, where Petrov and Sokolov had already carved an entry with the Cinder Dagger’s fire. Now, a jagged breach yawned before them—leading down into the Spire’s core chamber.“Keep your wards up,” Bain ordered, voice low and hard. “She’ll retaliate.”Vulture sealed the breach’s edges with a ward line drawn in quicksilver ink. “Done. No more unwanted guests.”Inside, the air was thick with hollow mist—every inhalation burning like cold steel. Flickering runes on the walls pulsed in response to the Heart of Thorns, still clenched in Elias’s hand.“We cut the core’s lifeline here,” Elias said, pointing to a massive crystalline conduit—an artery of void-energy feeding the Spire. “I’ll channel the relic’s light to shatter it.”Cassian, perched on a rubble-strewn ledge, nodded. “And I’ll reinforce him.” He clutched his warded crystal talisman.Seraphina, Malthea, a

The dawn sky over Naples was a bruise of violet and gray as Bain’s convoy navigated narrow coastal roads. Cassian, wedged between Elias and Vulture on the rear bench, peered out at fishing boats bobbing on calm waters.Vulture frowned at his holo-feed. “No sign of the Vatican’s wards flickering. They’ve reinforced them since last we checked.”Elias traced glowing lines on the map. “But our relics are secure. We’ve drawn the Hollow’s eye away.”Bain rubbed his temple. “Good. We need every second before Valeria reroutes her assault.”In the front seat, Cassie leaned forward, Aragorn in her arms. “Pray the Church’s secrets remain hidden—both from the Hollow and from prying men.”Bain glanced at her with a soft smile. “We’re not prying. We’re protecting.”II. Vatican UnderworldMidnight in Rome was a velvet hush, broken only by distant church bells. Beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, the Circle gathered outside a concealed hatch—an entrance known only to select Vatican custodians.Seraphina, c

The relic was no longer whole.It had shattered centuries ago when the Veiled One—an elder spirit of protection and sacrifice—was torn from this world during the First Hollow War. Now, fragments of her sacred vessel were scattered across realms, buried in ruins, swallowed by shadows. The Thorned Circle would need them all.And Valeria was already hunting.⸻I. Cassian’s WarningIn the flower-covered cottage, Cassian stood barefoot in the garden, eyes half-lidded, head tilted toward the morning sky.Bain watched him from the porch, arms folded, tension strung through every muscle like wire. Cassie, pale and exhausted from two days of labor, slept inside with the newborn—Aragorn—beside her.Cassian finally spoke.“Mom’s strong. But she won’t heal if we don’t find the heart piece first.”Bain stepped forward. “Where is it?”The boy looked down at his baby brother cradled in sunlight through the window. “He sees it. It sings to him.”Bain crouched. “What else, Cassian?”“He says if we don

Cassian knelt in a meadow of constellations.The sky above him shimmered with aurora-colored veins. Stars bloomed like flowers. But his face was streaked with tears.“Mama?” he whispered again.His small body trembled. His golden eyes—so full of power—dimmed slightly.Then a figure stepped through the air behind him. A woman cloaked in feathers and violet flame. Her face was partially veiled, and her voice was ancient.“You are the Prophet of the Thorned Circle,” she said. “You must remember your path.”“I want to go back to Mama and Aragorn,” Cassian choked.“You will,” the woman said. “But first, you must pass the star trial. Only then can you guide them through what comes next.”Before Cassian could protest, the sky cracked open—and swallowed him whole.⸻II. The River of Fog – EliasElias stumbled down a narrow bank.The river whispered his name. The fog was thick, clawing, full of secrets.He had awakened alone, his chest burning. The relic—the Eye of the Veiled One—was still str

The early morning light sifted softly through the windows of the secluded training house, its walls lined with ancient tomes and relics gathered from decades of occult wars. The Thorned Circle gathered inside, each member feeling the weight of the coming storm but determined to grow stronger.Cassie sat in a cozy corner, cradling baby Aragorn in her arms. The infant was quiet now, his faint glow barely noticeable beneath the folds of her cloak. Elias and Cassian, despite their youth, stood at the center of the training floor, eyes bright with focus as they mimicked the intricate gestures Seraphina was teaching them.“You’re doing well, both of you,” Seraphina encouraged, her voice steady and kind. “Magic doesn’t care about age, only about intent and heart.”Cassian looked over at his father Bain, who was trying—often failing—to keep up with the spellwork. Bain’s brow furrowed in concentration, but he muttered under his breath with a wry smile, “I’m a mafia boss, not some wizard.”Cass