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Reaper.

M y world darkens and my arms burn as I watch helplessly, restrained by Frances’s men. The dark red pool of blood runs down the steps of the altar. Dante is pulled back as he lunges to get to Nera, and everything I believed in has now withered into dust. I stare at the love of my life lying in her own blood, cut open as Frances reveals the item he’s pulled from inside her.

“I was willing to do this the more humane way, with anaesthetic and such, but you left me no choice when you barged in and showed me I could triple my money.” His sadistic smile spreads wide as the rare blue diamond shines, even when it’s covered in her blood.

“Nera!” Dante yells, the deep sorrow in his voice matching my internal anguish.

“I’m going to kill you,” I say through gritted teeth as I struggle, with four men holding me captive. Then the guests shriek in horror and begin exiting the church as a shotgun is fired into the space. Freeing myself, I charge at him, toppling him over as I release every single ounce of rage I’ve held onto for months.

“Frances!” Tommy calls out to him as we tussle on the floor of the church, my only goal to get to my revolver. Reaching out, I inch closer to it as he lands a blow on the side of my face.

“Don’t think I’m going to make this easy, Guerra,” he seethes, his arm curling around my neck and locking in place, the air thinning inside my lungs. Extending my arm further, my fingertips almost touch the handle of my revolver when another blast is set off inside the church. My ears pulse, every sound now muted as I choke on the minimal air left inside my lungs. His grip loosens a touch, allowing me to wrap my hand around the gun and fire into his leg.

I gasp for air as it enters my mouth, sucking it in, desperate for my vision to return to normal as I turn and face him. He groans, clutching his leg, and I take advantage, still unaware of what’s happening around me. Hell-bent on getting my revenge. Climbing on top of him, I slip the barrel past his lips and force it down his throat until he chokes.

“I keep my promises,” I say as his eyes widen. My finger rests on the trigger and I take a deep breath as I pull it, the bullet spraying through his brain and out onto the floor. The struggle stops, and when I look up, my heart tears itself out of my chest to join her.

“Nera.” My voice shakes when I rush to her side, lifting her head off the floor as delicately as I can. “Breathe, Principessa, breathe…please,” I beg as she fights to keep her eyes open, her hands clutching her side.

I press the extra material of her dress onto her wound, desperate to stop the bleeding, and when I look up, Frances’s men have been detained, along with Tommy.

Erhan Kara towers over us, the stark white streak in his hair noticeable by anyone who’s crossed paths with him before.

The warm blood from Nera’s hand rests on my cheek as she tries to speak.

“No. You’re not saying goodbye. This is not the end for us,” I whisper onto her lips, my tears mixing with the blood now smeared onto her face.

“My doctor is waiting in the morgue. If you want her to live, you need to take her there now.” Erhan places the Fabergé egg into his pocket. “I’ll be here to sort out our agreement when you’re ready.” He clicks his fingers, and his men begin slaughtering the others.

“You’re all going to pay for this,” Tommy threatens as he’s pulled out of the church doors.

“Stay with me, okay?” I lift Nera into my arms and cradle her into me.

Dear God, if you’re listening, if you’re watching, I beg you to save her.

She tries to speak again and I lean in as I rush her out of the doors and into the thick forest. “I-I…” Her voice is hoarse as the tears flow from her beautiful eyes.

I know I said I’m a non-believer, but if you’re there, please…I’m begging you…please don’t let her die in my arms. Don’t take her from me.

I’ll do anything.

Just don’t take her…not yet.

Give me a chance to love her.

Please.

Her body goes limp in my arms as I burst through the doors of the morgue and lay her on top of the silver table, and it’s like a sick, full-circle moment. Every single person in this fucked up family has now been on this table.

Slipping my hand through hers, I crumble at the sight of her closed eyes, the stark white of her dress stained with thick red blood. “Don’t leave me, Principessa… ” I choke back tears as the doctor and his assistant rush to get ready to operate. “Keep us alive,” I whisper against her cold skin.

“You need to leave. Now,” the doctor demands as Dante rushes through the doors. “Get him out of here.”

Dante stares at his lifeless sister on the table and runs his hands through his hair. “It’s all my fucking fault.”

“Get out! Both of you!”

Reluctantly, I step out into the night with Dante behind me, and the doors are shut after us.

“What did you do?” Dante speaks softly, the both of us standing side by side, trying to make sense of everything that’s transpired in the last hour.

“I did what I had to do.”

“You’ve traded one devil for another.”

I’m wounded, tired, and broken. I have nothing left to lose if Nera is no longer part of my world, and I’d be happy for the ocean to swallow this godforsaken island.

I take in my white shirt, tainted with her blood, and it’s like someone’s shoved their hand through my stomach to grip my organs from within.

If she dies, I’ll drown Falcon’s Keep along with myself.