The water in the sea caves was ice-cold, a shocking contrast to the inferno that had just consumed the lighthouse above. Matteo and Giulia emerged from the subterranean tunnel onto a jagged, hidden strip of shoreline, gasping for air that tasted of sulfur and salt. Behind them, the cliffside groaned as the lighthouse structure began to fail, sending a rain of white stone into the surf.
"Luca..." Giulia choked out, her lungs burning. She looked back at the orange glow crowning the cliff.
"He made his choice, Giulia," Matteo said, his voice raw. He hauled her further onto the sand, away from the rising tide. His hands were shaking, not from cold, but from the sheer, terrifying adrenaline of nearly losing her. "He knew what he was doing. He’s been a ghost his whole life; he knew how to disa
