The fire hissed in the hearth, casting flickering gold across the stone walls, but Sienna felt none of its warmth.
She stood unmoving, her arms crossed as the flames danced, as if mocking her with their restless energy.
She had burned so much to get here—blood, lies, even parts of herself.
But this wasn’t the end.
It was the stillness before the storm.
Luciano remained beside her, silent.
The flicker of firelight painted sharp lines across his face, making his features look carved from stone.
But Sienna could feel the tension beneath his stillness—the same way she felt it in her own bones.
The Chemist’s confession had been confirmation.
The Serpent was real.
And he wasn’t hiding anymore.
“He’s watching us,” Sienna murmured, barely above a whisper.
Luciano’s eyes narrowed. “
