CHAPTER 198
The halls of Ivan’s stronghold were deathly silent–too silent.
I gripped my dagger tightly, my breath controlled despite the storm raging inside me. Ethan was here. I could feel it. Every part of me screamed to run, to tear this place apart until I found him.
Damon moved beside me, his movements calculated, controlled. We fought our way through guards, Amara, using her magic to disable the sentries. But we all knew–this was a trap!
And yet, I would walk into hell itself if it meant bringing my son home.
Damon placed a hand on my arm, forcing me to pause. His voice was barely a whisper. “Cynthia, whatever happens–we don’t leave without him,”
I nodded, my throat tight. We couldn’t afford to fail.
Amara’s voice drifted from behind us. “The door at the end of the hall. Her hands flickered with magic, sensing energy beyond it. “He’s there.”
My heart slammed against my nbs. Ethan.
I took a deep breath, then pushed open the door.”
The sight before me nearly brought me to my knees
Ethan stood near the window, his small frame bathed in silver moonlight. His curls had grown longer, wild, untamed. His eyes–hazel, just like mine–widened at the sight of me.
I exhaled sharply, stepping forward. “Ethan-”
He didn’t move. My stomach twisted. Something was wrong.
Then, from the shadows, Ivan emerged. The air tumed ice–cold.
He walked forward slowly, like a predator who had already won. “Well,” he mused, golden eyes gleaming “You certainly took your time, my love.“2
Damon growled beside me, stepping forward, but I raised a hand to stop him. This wasn’t his fight. This was mine.
I turned to Ethan, desperate to reach him. “Baby, come here.”
He didn’t. Instead, he hesitated
Ivan’s smirk widened. “You see, Cynthia, our son has been very confused.”
My blood ran cold.
Ethan’s small hands clenched into fists. “You lied to me.” he whispered, looking at me with something like betrayal I took a shaky breath. “Ethan-“8
“You told me Damon was my father he said, his voice cracking. “But he’s not.”
I froze. Ivan had told him. I glanced at Damon. His face was unreadable, but his hands had curled into fists.
Ivan placed a hand on Ethan’s shoulder, and rage exploded inside me.
“He deserves the truth, Ivan murmured. “And the truth is you stole him from me.”
“No,” I snapped, my voice deadly, “I saved him from you”
Ethan flinched. Tears burned behind my eyes, but I held them back. I couldn’t break. Not now.
“Ethan,” I pleaded, my voice softer. I love you. Everything I did was to keep you safe.“}
He wavered–just for a moment §
Then, Ivan sighed dramatically. “Enough.” He turned to me, golden eyes sharp. “You want him? Then make a deal” Damon tensed beside me, sensing the shift in Ivan’s stance.
Ivan smiled. “You leave Ethan here, and I let you and your mate walk away.”
Damon growled. “Not happening.”
Ivan’s expression darkened. “Then here’s my final offer.” His voice dropped into something cruel.”
“You stay, Cynthia. You come back to me–where you belong. And Llet Ethan go.“1
The air rushed from my lungs !!
The room spun
“No,” Damon snarled. “Thot’s not a choice.”
Ivan ignored him. “Decide, Cynthia” He smiled slowly. “Your freedom–or your son’s.”
I felt Ethan’s gaze on me. He didn’t understand the weight of my silence, but he knew something was wrong.!
I was cracking. I had always told myself I would do anything for Ethan. But this?
Could I really trade my life for him?
Damon’s voice shook with rage. “Cynthia, don’t-”
But before I could speak, Ivan moved. Faster than I could react, he struck.
A flash of steel. A blur of movement. I braced myself for the pain–but it never came!
Instead–Amara stepped in front of me. A sickerling crack
12:14 PM c
Instead Amara stepped in front of me. A sickening crack..
Ivan’s dagger sank into her chest.
My mind shattered.
“NO!“%
Amara staggered, blood spilling from her lips. She turned her head toward me, her dark eyes filled with something I couldn’t bear to see–goodbye
Her knees buckled, and I caught her before she fell completely.
She gripped my arm weakly. “End this, Cynthia“%
Her body went limp &
A scream tore from my throat. And something inside me snapped.
I turned to lvan, my entire body shaking with rage.
He had taken everything from me ¦¦
I was done running. I stood slowly, feeling power build inside me–a power I had never felt before.
Ivan saw the change in my stance. He smirked. “Finally ready to stop pretending, my love?”
Damon stepped beside me, bloodied but strong “Cynthia” he murmured. “End him.
I locked eyes with Ivan, no longer afraid.
For ten years, I had lived in fear. For ten years, I ran X
But now?%
Now, I was going to kill him.
I gripped my dagger, my voice low, steady, deadly
“This ends now.”
