Page 171 of Their Reckless Thief
With a newfound resolve, I turned away from the mirror, the haunting weight of my past no longer as heavy. In its place was a sense of purpose that felt unbreakable.
The Mirror clinked as I set it down on the table. The pulse of its magic receded, the hum that had filled my head since I’d touched it fading to a calm silence. It was as if a door had opened in my mind, one I hadn’t been able to see, much less unlock, until now.
My thoughts, normally tangled and choked back by the binding spell that The Shadow had placed on me, flowed freely, thanks to the mirror’s magic.
And with that freedom, the words I’d tried for so long to speak tumbled out of me.
“The Shadow’s realm is plagued,” I began, my voice rough from the strain of keeping this hidden for too long. I saw their eyes fix on me, curiosity and surprise emanating from them. I had to tell them. Now, finally, there was nothing holding me back.
“For years, a mysterious illness has swept through his lands,” I continued. “It only affects the women.” I glanced at Celeste, and I saw the sharp flicker of understanding in her gaze as she connected the dots. “Women fall sick early, and many die young. Some lose the ability to bear children altogether, and with thatcomes an entire territory slowly being bled dry. It’s taken a toll on the land that he tries to hide with every illusion he has.”
Each word lingered in the air as they absorbed it.
“It affects everything, the men, too. They suffer the mental strain of it, carrying the constant fear of losing their sisters, their wives, their daughters. The Shadow fears it more than anyone. He’s terrified he’ll lose everything. It’s all that matters to him.” I let out a slow breath. “He’s not the lord he presents himself to be. The disease and what it is costing his people have eaten away at his resolve. He’s losing the battle.”
Vincenzo’s eyes narrowed, and he gripped the desk. “And his solution to this plague is to takemywomen?” The venom in his voice was palpable, his rage a barely restrained force waiting for release.
“He’s been searching for a cure for years. Every scientist, every healer… none of them have found one. Until…” I looked at Vincenzo, feeling the heaviness of his gaze. “Women who are addicted to Phantomine have an anomaly in their blood that relieves the symptoms temporarily. It doesn’t cure it, but it gives them a brief reprieve. And they’re hopeful a cure will evolve from that.”
Horror flashed over Celeste’s face as she began to understand the full implications of what I was saying… what I had tried to tell her the night The Shadow tortured me.
“That’s why he took them,” I said softly, the reality of it cutting through me as I finally spoke it out loud. “He took the women from your territory so they could provide him with their blood. He needs them alive, for his people’s sake.”
Vincenzo’s expression darkened, his jaw set in hard lines as he gripped the table. “Why are you just now telling me this?”
“I wanted to tell you,” I admitted, my voice raw. “I tried to. But The Shadow bound me to silence. I couldn’t betray him without it physically choking me. For years, it’s been like that.Every time I tried to even hint at what was going on, I’d be shut down, my voice stolen. So, I did everything I could to be loyal to you while harboring this secret and trying to find a cure for the women. He’s even gone so far as to use illusions against the magistrate. They have no idea.”
The atmosphere in the room shifted. Vincenzo was still tense, but I saw a faint understanding there, maybe even a trace of pity that surprised me.
“He’s built his whole life around illusions,” I continued. “And not just illusions to make others see what he wants. They’re his defense, his only real weapon now. He hides his weakness under layers of deception. He’s used every trick he knows to keep his territory shrouded in mystery, to make it look far more formidable than it actually is.”
Celeste placed her hand over mine, and her warmth erased the lingering remnants of the binding spell. Her gaze met mine, an anchor amid the storm of emotions churning within me.
Vincenzo finally spoke. “You’re telling me he’s losing everything, and he’s using women—my people—to stop it.”
“Yes,” I said, meeting his eyes. “The women are alive. They’re safe. He has no desire to hurt them. They’re essential to keeping what’s left of his empire intact.”
Dorian let out a low whistle and shook his head. “So, The Big Bad Shadow is just a desperate lord scrambling to keep a hold on power that’s slipping through his fingers?”
“It’s more complicated than that.” I exhaled slowly, steadying myself. “He’s lost most of his men’s faith over time. The suffering of their wives, their sisters, and their mothers has eroded their respect for him. They’re barely hanging on, but they have nothing else.”
Celeste’s grip tightened on my hand, and I glanced at her, seeing the fierce determination in her eyes. Her voice was softbut resolute. “He’s willing to do anything to maintain that illusion. And he’s willing to use anyone he needs to do it.”
I nodded, feeling the weight of her words settle over me, the truth of them sinking in. “Yes. He is.”
For the first time, my secrets were laid bare, every fractured piece of my double life finally out in the open. The relief was almost dizzying, the binding spell’s lingering choke finally gone. In its place was an emptiness I hadn’t felt in years, but one that, in this moment, felt a hell of a lot like freedom.
“So now you know,” I said, looking from one to the other. “I’m not asking for forgiveness. Everything I’ve done was to protect you. Because he will do anything to maintain control. Even if it means turning the entire world into shadows and lies.”
Vincenzo nodded slowly, a dark resolve settling over him, his mind clearly running through every possibility, every consequence. He looked at me, his voice calm yet laced with steel. “Then we’re done with illusions, Luca. It’s time to bring them down.”
Celeste’s voice broke the tense silence, a note of urgency underscoring her words. “We need to get the Mirror of Truths to him.” Her gaze flickered over each of us, a new resolve hardening in her eyes. “If The Shadow sees what’s really going on with the mysterious disease, what he truly needs to heal his people, maybe he’ll realize there’s another way. Maybe he’ll finally understand the cost of his actions—of what he’s been doing to everyone around him.”
Dorian nodded. “Celeste has a point. We could use this to our advantage and strike a bargain with him. If he sees the truth in that mirror, he might be willing to negotiate. We could find a way to work with him to end the disease without hurting anyone else. Release Celeste’s curse. Allow our women to come home if they want.” His gaze drifted to Vincenzo, his expression cautiousbut resolute. “We’d finally have some leverage over him, and he’d have no choice but to listen.”
Vincenzo considered this, his jaw taut, every line of his face etched with an old hatred but tempered by the cold logic of a seasoned strategist. “Fine,” he said in a low, dangerous rumble.
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