Page 154 of Their Reckless Thief
“Luca?” I turned to see a middle-aged woman standing a few steps away outside her little apothecary, her face alight with recognition. “It’s been ages,” she said, smiling as she made her way over, her steps a bit slower than I remembered.
“Clarisse.” I gave her a smile I hoped appeared genuine, though it felt anything but. She used to work for The Shadow, tending to his housekeeping and other miscellaneous duties. She’d taken on a motherly role in my life, always checking in to make sure I didn’t miss out on any nurturing.
“I suppose it has been a while. You look well,” I said, though my gaze caught on the faint tremor in her hand as she brought a white handkerchief to her lips.
She chuckled softly. Once, that sound had rung with strength, now it was a fading melody. “Flattery, Luca? It won’t work on me, boy. You know that.”
I tried to shrug it off, to participate in the banter, but she was looking at me with an intensity that told me she’d already seen past the façade.
Her gaze softened, and she tilted her head slightly, her wide smile catching me off guard. “But you look different.” Her face shining with amusement. “There’s a light about you, in your eyes. Something warm, something soft. You’re in love, aren’t you?”
I laughed half-heartedly, dismissing the notion, but Clarisse shook her head. “Don’t even try to deny it,” she said with that same authority she’d had over me when I was younger. “I’ve known you too long, Luca. You may have grown stronger, but I know you, better than you think.” She took a step closer, the edge of her handkerchief brushing her cheek as she tucked it away, leaving a faint smudge of red on her fingers. “It’s more than a crush. I’d say… whoever she is, she’s good for you. Maybe even more than you know.”
“Clarisse…” I began, unsure how to respond, unsure if I wanted to acknowledge how easily she’d unraveled the carefully held secrets I hadn’t dared admit even to myself. “It’s… complicated.”
She shook her head, smiling like a woman who’d experienced enough of life to know what mattered and what didn’t. “Love is always complicated, Luca. It’s supposed to be. But something tells me this girl— whoever she is—is a good thing. And you better not keep her hidden forever. I’ll expect you to bring her by soon.”
I started to protest, but the words died in my throat when I realized just how much she saw, how transparent I must have been. “Maybe someday,” I responded, unable to hide the faint, wistful smile that pulled at the corners of my mouth.
The lines around her eyes deepened as she leaned in. “Good,” she said, giving my arm a firm squeeze. “You deserve something real, Luca. Don’t wait too long to let her know that.”
I nodded, swallowing past the lump in my throat. I hoped she couldn’t discern the worry in my gaze, the unspoken fear that the next time I came here, I might not find her waiting.
As I turned away, her words stayed with me, adding to the weight I already carried. This place may have been an illusion of prosperity, a façade The Shadow had built, but cracks were beginning to show. And no matter how deep his shadows ran, they couldn’t conceal the truth forever.
A dark,unrelenting pressure surrounded the perimeter of the mansion. For anyone else, it would have been suffocating, an impassable barrier of secrets and fears, but I’d trained long enough to manipulate shadows and not be deceived by the illusions The Shadows relied on. With a flick of my wrist, I summoned my own magic, shadows shifting to cloak me as I passed through the twisted wards.
Moving through the considerable security measures around the mansion was like cutting through layers of carefully woven deception. The air itself was laced with The Shadow’s magic, twisting the very walls of the territory to show anyone approaching a distorted, rundown fortress, like something carved into the cliffside, which was what Vincenzo and Dorian had seen. In truth, the mansion was sleek and luxurious, hidden under the guise of aged stone and illusions. Every corridor, every gleaming corner of the mansion’s interior spoke of wealth and ancient power, each room meticulously designed and maintained. Only people he permitted inside and lifted theillusions for could see the grandeur, and those were few and far between.
I slipped through a final doorway, my shadows bending around me until I reached his office. Power thrummed in the room, overwhelming my senses. The Shadow sat at his desk, back turned to me, studying something on his screen. He wore his usual mask, the one he presented to the world—a looming silhouette, features blurred, as if he were no more than a shadow himself. As I stepped forward, my magic crackled, stripping away the illusion, and for a brief, cutting instant, I saw him as he was.
Tall, lean, and athletic, The Shadow possessed the kind of strength built from years of calculated movements. His jet-black hair was pulled back, revealing high cheekbones and dark blue eyes that were nearly black. He was dressed in a dark, elegant suit paired with polished black boots that spoke of a man who knew exactly how to blend refinement with lethal grace. This was the true face of The Shadow—cold, ruthless, and refined.
He glanced up, eyes glinting in amusement. “Luca, you’re not exactly who I expected to see tonight.”
“Apologies for the surprise visit,” I replied, stepping forward. He studied me, as if he were cataloging every detail, every subtle shift in my expression. “But there’s something we need to discuss.”
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “You seem different tonight,” he remarked idly, but I caught the sharpness in his eyes. “A man on a mission, I assume?”
“Something like that.” I forced myself to keep my voice steady, locking down the anger churning inside me. The Shadow was a predator who could sense even the slightest hint of weakness. He’d taught me that well enough.
I took a breath, letting the silence between us settle. “I’ve come to make a confession, actually.”
His gaze sharpened, his posture still relaxed, but the tension was palpable. I could sense the subtle pull of his magic, his aura prickling the atmosphere like static. He was reading me, assessing every edge of my expression, looking for weakness.
“In recent years,” I started, each word slow and deliberate, “I’ve been in close proximity to Vincenzo. He… needed someone who could navigate his world and yours.” I clenched my fists at my sides, forcing the words out despite the weight of his scrutiny. “I’ve never betrayed your secrets—we both know that’s not possible—but I’ve been an ally of sorts to Vincenzo. And I’ve been watching over someone else recently. Someone I’ve come to care for very much.”
“The girl.Celeste.” His voice held a note of recognition, but there was no surprise in his tone, only curiosity.
“Yes,” I said, my voice rough, the words spilling over the wall I’d kept between my emotions and reality. “The Shadow Mark you placed on her... it’s tearing her apart.” I struggled to keep my composure, to rein in the frustration clawing at my skin. “I want to take on her curse. She’s come to mean too much for me to watch you destroy her like this. As my punishment for breaking my loyalty to you, I’ll take the curse.”
His expression darkened, a flash of disappointment flaring in his gaze. “You disappoint me, Luca. Thisattachmentis beneath you.” He steepled his fingers together as he studied me. “And even if you are foolish enough tocarefor her, why bring this to me? You know the rules, the price of defying my will. And don’t think for a second that I’ll allow you to choose your punishment. That’s not how this works.”
“I brought this to you because you’re risking too much,” I said, fighting the urge to lash out, to make him understand. “Vincenzo’s anger is growing every day, and he’s closer to thetruth than you think. If you told him why, if you explained some part of your plan, he might even understand. But if you keep pushing, keep pushing Celeste, he’ll come for you and your territory.”
The Shadow’s gaze narrowed, his calm demeanor vanishing. “You’d ask me to tell Vincenzo the truth?” His voice was soft, but the words were hard like steel. “You think he’d understand? That he would accept the sacrifices I’ve made, the lengths I’ve gone to keep my people safe?”
“Yes,” I replied, the words sharper than I intended. “If he understood… he wouldn’t be your enemy. Vincenzo respects strength, and he knows the burden of protection.”
