Page 32 of Lords of Ruin: Cherished

Now I find myself in the hospital chapel, dim and silent except for the occasional flicker of votive candles. I'm alone here—just me and whatever divine presence might be listening. The wooden pew creaks as I shift my weight.

Death is an old friend but losing the love of my life is a betrayal so deep that I don't think I would even forgive God for that slight against me. My father always spoke of God’s power like it was the one thing that could guide us. "God’s will is greater than ours," he'd say, and I saw the truth in his eyes. He wasn’t just saying it to sound strong—he believed it. There was a steadiness to him, a grounding force that made him unshakable.

I wonder if I believe in that like he did. It’s hard when everything around me feels broken. I’ve seen enough to knowfaith doesn’t always make life fair. But he never wavered, using his belief like armor. Maybe that’s why I still respect him—he found something bigger to hold onto.

I don’t know if I believe in God like he did, but hell, I don’t know what else there is to believe in right now. I believe in Willow. I used to believe in Damien and Vincent, but I don’t know if I could trust them right now. I am hiding more and more from them every day, it’s almost suffocating.

I run my hands through my hair, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. The polished wooden altar gleams dully in the subdued light.

"Why bring me an angel? A girl so beautiful. A girl who shines all of my darkness away." My voice cracks slightly. "Why bring her into my life just to rip her away from me before I'm ready? Why fuck with me like that?"

I stand suddenly, pacing the narrow aisle between the pews. The silence feels oppressive now, as if it's deliberately withholding answers.

"I never know if you are listening," I say, approaching the altar, feeling like an imposter in this sacred space. “I want you to listen loud and clear, right now.” My fingers trace the edge of the wooden altar, feeling the smooth finish worn by countless hands before mine.

"I don't know what sins I've done in past lives, but I repent." The words tumble out faster, more desperate. "I am sorry."

"Do not let the sins of the lover reflect on his love," I whisper, my voice barely audible now. My hands clench into fists at my sides, then slowly relax as I exhale.

"If you're real—if you're there—I'm not asking for myself. I'dtrade places with her in a heartbeat. Just... don't take her. Not yet."

I stand there for a long moment, surrounded by shadows and silence, waiting for an answer I'm not sure will come.

The heavy silence of the chapel presses in on me as I finish my prayer. I’m alone—just me and whatever divine presence might be listening, if there even is one. I laugh softly at the thought.So much for heaven.

A slow clap. A sarcastic, drawn-out clap that cuts through the stillness.

I spin around, reflexes kicking in before my brain can catch up. My forearm slams into a soft but firm body, pinning whoever it is against the cold stone wall. My heart beats faster, but when I look down, I realize it’s Valentina. She’s smirking, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Praying, hermano?" she mocks, her voice dripping with amusement. "How very...holyof you."

I release her, taking a step back, the adrenaline still buzzing through my veins. "What the hell, Val?" I growl, my heart still racing, my muscles tense. She laughs, unbothered, flicking a strand of her blonde hair over her shoulder.

“ I thought you were supposed to be the tough one,” she teases, her eyes scanning me with an almost predatory interest.

"Don’t sneak up on me like that," I snarl, and she flinches at the sound.

She shrugs, clearly enjoying herself. “What can I say, hermano? Your lessons are paying off.”

“Why are you here, Val?” Idrone.

She pouts, thumbing through the bible like it’s a magazine. “I have some intel.”

“What is it?”

She hums thoughtfully, dragging out the silence before finally speaking. "First," she hisses, drawing it out like she has all the time in the world. But before she can finish, I cut her off with a growl.

"No." I step toward her, moving so quickly it almost seems like I'm closing the distance with a predator’s precision. My presence is all-encompassing now—there’s no escaping it.

"First." She doesn’t back down, her eyes meeting mine with a challenge I don't hesitate to accept. She raises an eyebrow, letting the word linger in the air. "I get to go back home and see my mother."

I scoff, barely holding back a laugh. "Your adoptive mother is safe." There’s nothing she can use to manipulate me now.

She crosses her arms, unbothered by my dismissal. "You said I had to earn that privilege."

The words hit a nerve. I can feel the anger bubbling up, but I’m not about to let her control this. “I still can’t trust you,” I hum, my voice a calm, threatening hum.

Her eyes narrow, and she leans in, almost challenging me to retaliate. "Well, you can't trust Vincent either."

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