Page 166 of Their Reckless Thief
I glanced back at my men, catching Luca’s steady gaze, Vincenzo’s unreadable intensity, and Dorian’s faint, reassuring smile. Their confidence in me settled the storm of nerves churning inside me, and I forced myself to focus on the intricate grid of wards ahead.
“Let’s finish this,” I whispered more to myself than anyone else.
With one last sweep of the hologram and a final breath, I prepared to face the vault’s formidable defenses.
A flicker of movement ahead caught my eye, and I signaled the others to pause, pressing myself against the wall as a patrol of sentries passed through the dim hallway. The guards were different from those outside, their forms cloaked in armor that glowed with runes. Each of them radiated supernatural energy, and their eyes shimmered an unnatural hue, as if the wards themselves had marked them. Their steps echoed with the heavy certainty of those who had long defended this place and wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate any intruder.
Luca met my gaze, the tension in his jaw saying everything: these guards weren’t ordinary. “Keep magic to a minimum,” he reminded himself, his voice barely audible, knowing that any use of shadow magic would set off alarms in an instant.
The first patrol moved out of sight, and we crept forward. As we rounded the next corner, a second wave of guards appeared, and one caught sight of us. His hand shot out, and the faint hum of a ward pulsed, casting a bright glow across the hall.
“Luca, with me,” I hissed, dropping low as he surged forward, moving with a deadly precision. He took on the closest guard in brutal close-range combat, every strike swift and lethal, while Dorian dispatched another with his signature blend of stealth and speed. His movements were almost imperceptible as heslipped through the shadows, his dagger finding its mark with precision.
A third guard spotted us, raising a glowing amulet that flared with light. Before he could activate it, Vincenzo lunged forward with vampire speed, his presence like a storm as he blocked the sentry with supernatural strength. His movements were fierce and calculated, an intensity to his eyes that was both deadly and protective. For him, this was so much more than just another mission. He’d put himself between me and danger without hesitation, and seeing him like this only cemented the depth of our bond.
I caught my breath as the guards fell one by one. With each encounter, I could sense the fortress itself awakening, as if the wards were slowly becoming aware of our presence.
We pressed on, our pace quickening, the weight of silence returning until finally, the vault loomed before us: a massive stone door etched with intricate symbols that pulsed with power. A faint golden glow emanated from it, casting eerie shadows on the walls, and I knew that this was the bloodline lock, the final barrier that guarded the Mirror of Truths.
“Only one way through,” I whispered, pulling out the key we’d swiped from the Wraith territory. It was small, no bigger than a thumb drive, pulsing with its own faint energy as it synced to the lock’s enchantments.
Vincenzo stepped forward, and I handed him the key. Our fingers brushed, and for a moment, I didn’t feel the ancient, suffocating magic. He placed his hand on the lock, the key warming in his grip as it readied to replicate the stray’s signature.
Nothing happened. The stone remained silent, the lock unyielding. Just as I was about to curse under my breath, the enchantment flickered, sensing something amiss. Vincenzo’sface tightened, his eyes narrowing as he pressed harder, urging the magic to respond.
A low hum vibrated from the door, growing louder, angrier, as if the lock was fighting back, testing the device, challenging it.
“Celeste, prepare the override.”
I nodded, pulling out my failsafe device. My fingers trembled as I adjusted the settings. If this failed, we’d trigger the vault’s alarm system and be sealed inside with no escape. I shot a quick glance at Luca and Dorian. They were watching me intently, their expressions a mixture of tension and readiness. I gestured for Luca to come closer. I needed his magic for the override.
Positioning myself beside the lock, I activated the device, and Luca sent a surge of magic into the system. A faint vibration ran through my arm, and I felt the device struggle, pushing back against the centuries-old defenses woven into the lock’s magic. Beads of sweat prickled on my forehead as I fought against the barrier, wrestling it into submission.
The hum grew louder, and for a terrifying moment, I thought the lock would overwhelm us, the magic flaring as if ready to reject us entirely. My fingers pressed harder against the device, the heat building as I strained my concentration.
With a sudden, sharp click, the hum stopped. The symbols dimmed, and the vault door shuddered before creaking open, revealing a dim, yawning darkness beyond.
I stepped back, breathless and dizzy, as the tension in the room broke. Vincenzo caught my gaze, his eyes fierce but softening with relief.
“We’re in,” he said, a rare flicker of approval in his tone.
We all shared a look, and a sense of victory rippled between us. I knew better than to let my guard down, though. The mirror lay within, but so did the risks we had yet to face.
Instead of the usual magic-bound obstacle, the last barrier was different. It was unmistakably human, and one I knew alltoo well. Thin red beams crisscrossed the breadth of the vault, weaving an intricate, deadly pattern—laser sensors designed to catch any unwelcome magical signature. If Luca, Vincenzo, or Dorian went through, they’d trip the alarms.
“Lasers…” I muttered. “Of course, they’d throw in this kind of tech right at the end.”
“You’ve done this before, Celeste,” Vivian said, though she sounded uneasy.
I closed my eyes briefly, summoning the knowledge Roberto had drilled into me. He’d taught me everything about navigating lasers—how to move with precision, where to look for gaps, and how to turn even the narrowest opening into an escape.
Memories surfaced of Roberto relentlessly pushing me to get it right, again and again, until each step was second nature. I blew out a breath. This setup looked more unforgiving than any other I’d encountered. One wrong move, and we’d be surrounded in seconds.
“My love,” Dorian whispered, “you’ve got this. We’re right here.”
I met his gaze, letting his quiet confidence fuel my resolve. Nodding, I took a steadying breath, then focused on the first laser.
Just as I was about to finish my first step, a quick, vivid flash pulsed behind my eyes—a vision. I saw myself inching through the beams, my movements calculated and precise, only to lose my footing halfway through and my wrist brushing against a beam. The sound of an alarm echoed through my mind, and I jerked, heart racing, dread crawling along my skin.
