Page 167 of Their Reckless Thief
I shook my head, forcing myself back into the present. Not this time.Thistime, I’d get through unscathed.
“Celeste, you’re hesitating,” Vivian hissed in my ear. “You can do this. Just focus.”
I inhaled and exhaled slowly a few times as I studied the lasers. One step, then another, slipping between beams barely spaced wide enough for my body. Each movement was slow, deliberate.
Roberto’s voice echoed in my mind, guiding me:Focus on each step. Don’t rush. See the gaps, not the obstacles.
My hands shook as I worked through the lasers, the air around me vibrating with the force of the magic pushing back. Sweat beaded on my forehead, and for a terrifying moment, I thought I’d lose control.
“You’ve got this, sweetheart,” Luca said, his voice steady despite the tense set of his jaw. “You’ve done far more difficult things before. This is just another challenge.”
“You’re not alone, love,” Dorian said. “We’re right here. Just breathe.”
Vincenzo, always so composed, had a tremor in his voice when he spoke. “Failure isn’t in your nature,dolcezza. Finish it.”
Each step was excruciatingly slow. I stretched my arms above and around, ducking low, twisting my body in ways that strained every muscle. I was stronger than the last time I had attempted to avoid lasers like these, no doubt thanks to Luca’s training. Every time I cleared a beam, my pulse thundered, but the relief was short-lived as I faced the next one.
“Halfway there,” Vivian’s voice chimed in. “You’re doing great, Celeste. Breathe.”
Luca’s voice broke through my focus next, a steady undertone. “Take your time. We’ve got all the time in the world if it means getting you through.”
That wasn’t true. Each second spent here was a risk. If we didn’t move fast, someone would notice the delay on the surveillance cameras. Still, their words helped, and I slipped between the lasers, barely breathing.
One by one, I passed each sensor, the finish line finally in sight. I allowed myself a quiet exhale, nerves settling. But just as I went to clear the final tricky angle, my foot shifted the tiniest fraction off balance, and the tip of my finger brushed against the last beam.
Red flashed faintly through the room, almost imperceptible, but my heart dropped right into my stomach.
“Celeste.” Vivian’s voice sounded tense. “Silent alarm. You’ve triggered it. Two-minute countdown.”
I felt the color drain from my face as I whipped my gaze to the others, panic seizing me. “I… I thought I’d cleared them.”
Dorian clenched his fists, his expression darkening. “We’ll adapt. Let’s move before the guards arrive.”
Vincenzo’s jaw was set, his eyes flashing with a fierce determination as he grabbed what we came for. “We have the mirror. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
I swallowed hard, kicking myself for my mistake, but I forced myself to focus. I couldn’t let one slip cost us everything. We were still in this, and as long as I could put one foot in front of the other, we’d find a way out.
Luca squeezed my hand, but I didn’t find the usual comfort in his touch. “Come on. Let’s make this count.”
Dorian shifted into his wolf form and nudged me to get onto his back. This way, my human speed wouldn’t slow us down. There was no need to contain their magic now that the alarm had been tripped.
We moved quickly, retracing our steps through the maze of corridors, but the return path was anything but straightforward. The first audible alarm blared as we reached the main hall, echoing through the stone walls.
“Vivian, we’re on the move,” I hissed, my earpiece crackling to life as her voice came through.
“Got it. I’m rerouting the surveillance, but they’ll be on to you soon. Head for the exit through the east tunnels. The underground transport is waiting just beyond the final warded checkpoint.”
Dorian took point, with me on his back, guiding us through the labyrinthine halls. Twice we had to dodge sentries, their footsteps echoing close by as they combed the estate for intruders.
“Left,” Vivian said. “There’s an exit down the hall. You’ll have a fifteen-second window if you move fast.”
“Fifteen seconds,” Vincenzo muttered, his gaze flashing as he took the lead. “Everyone ready? Move.”
We sprinted down the narrow corridor, each turn more disorienting as the fortress’s walls twisted and stretched and reshaped, illusions shifting to distract and throw us off course. It felt like the walls themselves were closing in, part of some twisted trap designed to keep us locked in forever. Vivian kept us moving, her directions keeping us one step ahead of the guards and sentinels gathering around every corner.
Just as we turned a sharp corner, a blur of movement caught my eye. Massive, shadowed figures emerged from the hall’s depths. Sentinels. Enormous, armored beasts with sharp, glowing eyes that locked onto us with deadly intent. They weren’t alone. Behind them, snarling dogs, their teeth bared and dripping with a malevolent gleam, advanced with terrifying speed.
“Vivian, we’re surrounded. Options?”
