Page 60 of A Mastery of Crows

He cups my cheek. “And she likes you. I think. But probably not as much as she seems to like Alessia. She adores her already.”

I think I’m perfectly fine with that.

24 – Dante

“Cat.”

My chest hurts as I say her name. My voice is low, quiet in the dark room. “Tentazione. It’s time.”

She doesn’t move. She stays where she is at the edge of Alessia’s crib. Gio and I moved it into Lucia’s bedroom under her watchful eye an hour ago.

Slowly, I move up to stand beside her. It feels as if a cord stretches directly from my heart to the little girl sleeping in her arms, her small hand curled up above her head. I rocked her myself, back and forth, until her eyes fluttered closed before I relinquished her to Cat.

And now she stands, deathly still, her eyes bright.

I considered asking her to stay, as I handed Alessia over. For a second – for a moment. Cat would be safe, and Alessia would at least have one of us.

But… that’s not who she is. And if we lose, they would still track her down. Matteo Corvo would never leave Caterina Corvo as a risk.

“You will see her again.” I stroke my hand over those wild curls, one more time. “I made you a promise.”

I intend to keep it.

At the soft knock on the door, we both turn. Gio offers us an apologetic grimace. “I’m sorry. But… I just had a call from Johnno.”

Both of us go still. Our time is up.

We can’t keep the world out any longer.

Cat lets out a long, trembling breath, before she places Alessia in the crib, tugging the light blanket over her. A moment passes, two, as we wait silently before she straightens.

She doesn’t look back.

I try, try not to torture myself, but I can’t help it. Hades himself could not stop me from looking over my shoulder, drinking the sight of my daughter in.

And then I follow.

Farewells are already happening in the entrance hall. Our luggage has been loaded into the cars, and as we walk down Luc wraps his mother in a tight embrace. “We’ll be back soon.”

Her eyes travel over all of us when he steps back. Lucia Morelli knows what we’re walking into.

But it’s Cat that she speaks to. “Take care of my son. Please.”

Cat’s throat bobs as she nods. “And you will take care of Alessia.”

Lucia hugs her, whispering something in her ear that smooths away the worried lines around her eyes.

Stefano jogs down after us. “Ready.”

Cat follows Stefano and Dom to one car. Luc, Gio and I get in the other, none of us speaking as we pull away from the house.

That cord tugs on my chest. Harder, sharper, straining until it feels as though it snaps completely as we move out of sight. As though I’m missing a piece of me.

A hand grips my shoulder. “She’ll be absolutely ruined by the time we get back. My mother adores children.”

I clear my throat, trying to find the words. Gio’s phone rings, and we glance over as he answers it. “Johnno.”

He listens, a frown appearing and deepening between his eyes. He puts the call on speaker. “Say that again.”