The Empire of Darkness
br
until we reach a massive office. Dark wood, leather chai
the door
arms. "What
his head.
oser, my pulse thrumm
ckers in his
urmurs. "You'
"I don't want to learn. I
loser. "Th
ree
here, calm, cont
ing
ate
the truth
n't
e he's
owhere e
enough. "Stay, Alba.
You don't do thing
irk. "No.
pa
voice dropping to some
otect wha
ath ca
first time
raded one mons
e will destr
l
s are cl
n fe
waiting for me to fail. The way Gabriel Moretti moves
d be te
gh to stop me from th
g is certain-thi
not stay he
filters through the hea
h. Everything about this place feels wron
stand. I won't lie in this bed a
the door ma
an answer,
br
f course
, his sleeves rolled up. He looks... untouched. Like he didn't
me, sharp and assess
ms. "Brillian
e owns the air in this room. "Get
move.
'll
. Like he's enjoying this
him. "What
"Then I'll carr
teeth. "Yo
darken.
in the closet. Of course, it's not mine-everything here is
tching the city pass by in silence. Gabriel drives like he does e
ions. I know he w
I w
ally stop, my s
restaurant. Or a meet
ouse on the outs
teps out.
down just enough to invade
mo
air is thick
he center of the room. A man sits in it,
ree
e hell i
ahead like t
use
el s
, I think-grins at
't an
he tied-up man. "He w
d turns
d-twenties, his clothes torn and stained. His breathing is shallow
?" Gabriel as
doesn'
hen takes a knif
a ste
man. He trails the tip of the blade along his th
al
espo
re's a cut, thin but deep enough to make
eizes m
" I bl
ance at me. "You don't
unds in his mouth. Like h
y myself. "He's already half-dea
pression is unreadable, but there's
rd, he stands and
igid.
you?" His voice is soft
, at the bloodied man in front of me
te
goddam
't do
't do
gaze and do the
p the