No sooner had Arabe left than a loud boom echoed through the air. Though Thalia wasn’t sure if it was an actual cannon, it sure sounded like one.
“Ah, darn!” she eximed, gasping and huddling against the wall. The cannon seemed to have targeted the building, affecting all the rooms. The meeting structure teetered on the verge of copsing, with the pirs bending sideways.
“Are you okay?” Elisha asked, pulling her towards a corner.
“I am. How about you?” Thalia replied, scanning the area to see if others were in the same predicament.
“What’s happening? And where is Be?” she inquired.
“The attackers are here,” Janice exined. “I overheard their conversation earlier, and I think my father spoke to her. It’s why she left.”
“Why would she do that? That’s so foolish!” Thalia hissed.
“My father is sly, Thalia. I don’t know what he must have said to Arabe, but he can kill anyone he wants if she disobeys. She probably left for everyone’s safety,” Janice reasoned.
“That doesn’t excuse what she’s done,” Thalia murmured, pulling out her phone and dialing Sandro’s number, which was answered on the first ring.
“What?” Sandro’s gruff voice came through.
“I don’t know where you are or who you’re with, but Arabe is on a reckless mission,” Thalia said, ducking as shots rang out.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.
“Idiot!” she muttered under her breath.
“What’s happening, and where’s Be?” Sandro asked.
“We’re under attack, Sandro. They’re here, and as for Be, my guess is she went to meet Paolo. She didn’t tell anyone,” Thalia exined.
She winced as she heard a string of curses from the other end before Sandro abruptly ended the call. It seemed he was about to take action.
She turned to Elisha, Janice, and Annalise, who had joined them. “Why don’t we show these attackers that we’re not the weaklings they think we are?”
“Yes,” Janice affirmed with a nod. “I’m ready to fight.”
“I’ll do anything to avenge ze,” Elisha dered.
“Listen, everyone, we fight now!” Thalia yelled. Everyone stood up, ignoring the shots ringing out, and dashed towards the entrance, pushing back the attackers.
“Fight until death,” Thalia urged. Since ze’s death, she had nned the perfect revenge. While she might not personally confront Paolo-leaving that to Sandro-she was determined to vent her anger on his henchmen.
***
Arabe arrived just in time, her eyes scanning the description she had scribbled on paper.
“The Salvatore house,” she murmured, gazing at the mansion in front of her.
“Okay,” she whispered, confirming that it matched the description.
As she approached, the door flung open, revealing a man in a steel grey suit. He was burly, his face chiseled, and his eyes hidden behind aviator sses.
“Come with me, ma’am,” he said, his voice deep.
“Where is Sandro?” she asked. She wasn’t going indoors without knowing if he was safe or not.
“Come with me, ma’am,” he repeated.
“I don’t want to,” Arabe insisted, her chin lifted defiantly. “I need to know if he’s fine before going indoors with you.”
“I’m taking you in now,” the guard snarled, gripping her hand and pulling her towards the mansion’s door.
Arabe scratched at his hand, summoning wind to fling him sideways.
She gasped, panting as her stomach constricted. Brianna had warned her against using her powers, but there was no way she could defend herself without them now.
When her breathing calmed, she dashed towards the entrance, yelling, “Sandro!”
Opening the door, she let herself in. Her eyes widened as she locked eyes with Paolo and Alessia in the middle of the room, d in red robes and surrounded by candles. What she thought was the living room seemed more like a ritual room,cking basic furniture.
Arabe turned towards the door but mmed into an invisible wall. “Wee, darling,” Paolo said behind her, his hand on her shoulder.
She swirled around, swallowing hard. “Where is Sandro?”
Paolo grinned. “I never thought using him would work. I thought you loathed him. So, it was all just a pretense?”
“Where the heck is Sandro?” Arabe snarled, her head snapping back as Paolo’s hand collided with her cheek.
“You should not snarl at me ever again,” he warned.
Arabe gripped her stinging cheeks, ring. “Why did you bring me here?” she asked, realizing all that had been said was to deceive her.
If she had known, she shouldn’t have obeyed. Now Sandro wasn’t even here, and she was facing danger without him knowing.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, stomach fluttering. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”
“Of course you are. Your father will be proud of you, Love. Now I just need the idiot to be here as well,” Paolo said, dragging Be toward where Alessia sat inside a pentagram. She tried to resist his pull, but his grip was too strong, and for some reason, she couldn’t use her powers anymore.
It felt like there were power inhibitors in the room. When Arabe reached the circle Alessia was in, she opened her eyes, a wicked grin on her face.
“We meet again, dear sister,” Alessia said.
“I’m going to kill you, Alessia. Snap out of the daze you’re in!” Arabe eximed.
Alessia produced a knife, shaking her head. “I should be the one saying that to you, considering how powerless you are now.” She swung the knife in the air.
“Sandro won’t spare you if you harm me, Alessia,” Arabe warned.
“I don’t care for his pity. All I want is you dead. And I’m going to have my way right now because today marks us merging and you vanishing as if you never existed,” Instantly, she gripped Arabe’s palm, stabbing the knife into it. Alessia had the advantage since Arabe couldn’t use her powers.
Arabe howled, teeth clenched, eyes widened as blood oozed out from the stab. Alessia bent her hand over a chalice, grinning as the blood dropped into it. When she was done, she released Arabe.
“Now I need that gemstone,” Alessia dered, standing to her feet. “It shall be your end today, sister, and I won’t hold back.”