Serena felt as if the air had been sucked from the room. Alexander's decision to stay behind echoed in her mind, drowning out the noise of the cold stone chamber and Kieran's calculating smile. She wanted to protest, to argue, but the firm look in Alexander's eyes made it clear that his mind was already made up. His resolve was like iron, and Serena knew that once he decided on something, it was nearly impossible to change his course.
"This is the best way, Serena," Alexander said quietly, his voice calm but leaving no room for debate.
"You and Rebecca can get out of here. I'll make sure the Covenant does what they promised."
Serena clenched her fists, her heart pounding with frustration and fear. Every instinct in her body screamed that this was wrong, that leaving Alexander behind was a mistake. But deep down, she knew he was right. They needed to trust someone to oversee the containment of the *Sangreal* and the *Crux Ignis*, and Alexander was the one person she trusted more than anyone in the world.
She swallowed hard, trying to suppress the storm of emotions raging inside her.
"Fine," she said, her voice strained.
"But you better be careful. I don't trust Kieran—or anyone in this place."
Alexander gave her a faint smile, the kind that barely reached his eyes.
"I'll be fine. Just take care of Rebecca and the artifacts. We can't let anything happen to them."
Rebecca, who had been silent during the exchange, stepped forward, her expression a mixture of concern and determination.
"Alex, are you sure about this? We don't know what the Covenant is really after."
"I'm sure," Alexander replied, his gaze steady. "The Covenant wants control over the artifacts, but I'll make sure they follow through on their promise to contain them. This is the only way to buy us time."
Kieran, who had been watching the exchange with a detached curiosity, finally spoke up. "It's settled then. Mr. Holt will remain here as our guest while we proceed with the containment process. You, Miss Grey, and your colleague are free to leave once the transfer is complete."
Serena glared at him, her distrust of Kieran growing with every word.
"You'd better keep your word."
Kieran's smile didn't falter.
"The Covenant has no interest in breaking deals, Miss Grey. We honor our promises, as long as both parties do the same."
Serena fought the urge to say something biting, but instead, she turned to Alexander. "We'll come back for you. As soon as the artifacts are contained, we'll figure something out."
"I know," Alexander said, his voice soft but full of confidence.
"Just stay safe."
Kieran gestured to the door, signaling that their meeting was over. Two guards appeared from the shadows, ready to escort them out. Serena's pulse quickened, and despite knowing it was the only option, the thought of walking away from Alexander gnawed at her.
She gave him one last look, hoping it conveyed all the things she couldn't say. He met her gaze with the same quiet intensity that had always grounded her, even in their darkest moments. Without another word, Serena turned and followed Rebecca out of the chamber, the sound of the heavy doors closing behind them echoing ominously through the hall.
Outside the main building, the air was sharp with the crisp mountain cold, and the sense of finality pressed down on Serena's chest. She felt as though she was leaving more than just Alexander behind—she was leaving part of herself. But there was no time for hesitation. The *Sangreal* and *Crux Ignis* were still dangerously unstable, and if they couldn't contain them soon, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"Do you really think they'll contain the artifacts without trying to use them?" Rebecca asked quietly as they approached the car. Her eyes were wide with worry, and Serena could see the same doubt reflected in her expression.
"I don't know," Serena admitted, her voice low.
"But we don't have a choice right now. We need to trust Alexander to handle it from the inside."
Rebecca nodded, though the unease in her expression didn't fade.
"I just hope we're not trading one disaster for another."
Serena's stomach churned. She shared Rebecca's concern. The Covenant claimed to be protectors, but their desire for control over the world's most dangerous artifacts made them just as dangerous as the people they were supposedly protecting the world from.
As they reached the car, Serena paused, leaning against the side of the vehicle as her mind raced.
"There's something we're missing. Kieran's too smart. He wouldn't have agreed to this unless he was getting more out of it."
Rebecca tilted her head, thinking.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, Kieran knew exactly what he was doing when he asked for Alexander to stay behind. It wasn't just about trust," Serena said, frowning.
"The Covenant doesn't want just the artifacts. They want information, leverage. They'll use Alexander if they need to."
Rebecca's eyes widened in realization.
"You think they're planning to manipulate him?"
"I don't know," Serena admitted. "But I know we can't take any chances. We need to figure out more about the Covenant—what their real goals are. If they're planning to use the artifacts for their own gain, we have to be ready."
Serena climbed into the car, her mind already formulating a plan. She wasn't just going to sit around and wait for the Covenant to do whatever they pleased with the *Sangreal* and the *Crux Ignis*. They needed leverage of their own.
As they pulled away from the Covenant's compound, the weight of Alexander's sacrifice bore down on Serena's heart. She couldn't let him become a pawn in the Covenant's game, and she wouldn't let them twist the artifacts into tools of destruction.
They drove in silence for a while, the road winding down the mountain and away from the looming threat of the Covenant. But Serena's mind was far from silent. She was already plotting their next move.
"We need to find someone who knows more about the Covenant," Serena said finally, breaking the silence.
"There has to be someone out there who can tell us what they're really up to."
Rebecca nodded, her eyes focused on the road.
"There are a few contacts I can reach out to—people who have dealt with secret organizations like the Covenant before. They might have information we can use."
"Good," Serena said. "We're going to need every bit of leverage we can get. The Covenant's dangerous, and if they're planning to use the *Sangreal* or the *Crux Ignis*, we need to stop them before they can."
Rebecca's expression hardened, her determination matching Serena's.
"Agreed. We can't let them manipulate Alex either. He's smart, but if they're playing a long game, they'll use everything they can to get what they want."
Serena's heart clenched at the thought of Alexander being trapped inside the Covenant's web, but she forced herself to focus.
"We'll figure it out. We'll get him back."
The hours passed in a blur as they made their way to a safe location—a small, secluded cabin tucked away in the foothills of the mountains, far from prying eyes. It wasn't much, but it would give them time to regroup and figure out their next move.
Once inside, Serena collapsed onto the worn couch, exhaustion washing over her. The weight of everything that had happened over the past few days pressed down on her like a lead blanket. The *Sangreal*, the *Crux Ignis*, the Covenant—there were too many threats, and too few options.
But as tired as she was, Serena's resolve remained unbroken. They had come too far to lose everything now.
"We'll start reaching out to our contacts tomorrow," Rebecca said, sitting down across from Serena.
"We'll find out what the Covenant is planning."
Serena nodded, her eyes heavy with fatigue but her mind still racing.
"And we'll figure out how to get Alex out."
She leaned back, staring up at the wooden ceiling of the cabin. The storm of uncertainty that had been swirling around her felt like it was finally settling into something more focused. It wasn't just about containing the artifacts anymore.
It was about stopping the Covenant, protecting Alexander, and making sure that the power they had uncovered didn't destroy everything.
And Serena was ready to fight, no matter the cost.