The night dragged itself into the cracks of dawn, but there was no peace in the air. The room looked like a battlefield, blood, dust, and pieces of chain everywhere. Lorenzo sat on the cold floor, holding Aria close like she'd vanish if he blinked too long.
Her breathing was slow, too slow. But she was alive. Alive, and different.
Her eyes fluttered open again, those strange golden eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. They didn't belong to her, but they weren't Silas's either. It was something in-between, something new.
"Lorenzo?" she said softly, voice small but steady.
He lifted his head fast, eyes red from crying. "I'm here."
She blinked, confusion flickering across her face. "Why are you… crying?"
"You scared the hell out of me," he said, his voice cracking as he tried to laugh. "You just, stopped."
Her brow furrowed. "Stopped?"
"You weren't breathing, Aria. You…" He stopped, shaking his head. He didn't want to relive that moment again.
