The morning sun hung low in the Sicilian sky, casting long shadows over the rugged hills. Luca stood at the edge of the old monastery's courtyard, staring out at the vast landscape, but his thoughts were far from peaceful. The events of the night had left scars not just on the men who survived, but on Luca's mind. The betrayal still burned in his veins like a slow poison.
Enzo approached, his heavy footsteps crunching on the gravel. "The men are ready," he said, his voice low. "What's the plan?"
Luca didn't answer immediately. His thoughts swirled around Antonio—his brother, the one person he had always tried to protect, even when they disagreed. If Antonio had betrayed them to the Germans, then this war was no longer just about survival. It was personal.
"We need to move out before nightfall," Luca finally said. "But first, I need to see Antonio."
Enzo's eyes darkened with understanding. "You're going to confront him."
Luca nodded, his jaw clenched. "If he's working with the Germans, it won't just be my father's legacy at stake. He'll destroy everything we've been trying to build."
"And if you're wrong?" Enzo asked. "If this wasn't him?"
"I'm not wrong," Luca replied, his voice cold. "But if I am, we'll know soon enough."
Back in Palermo, the De Luca estate loomed over the city like a fortress, its high stone walls guarding centuries of power. Luca's return felt different this time. The place he once called home now felt like enemy territory, every corner hiding shadows he no longer trusted.
Inside the grand villa, Luca found Antonio in the library, surrounded by books and papers that had nothing to do with the war. His brother looked up from a letter as Luca entered, his expression unreadable.
"Luca," Antonio greeted him, his voice smooth. "You're back. I wasn't expecting you so soon."
Luca stood in the doorway, not bothering with pleasantries. "We were ambushed last night. The Germans knew exactly where we were. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
Antonio leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing. "Is that what you came here for? To accuse me of treason?"
"I came here for the truth," Luca shot back, stepping closer. "People are dead, Antonio. Our men, the resistance. They're dead because someone told the Germans where we were. And I think that someone was you."
Antonio's lips curled into a bitter smile. "You've always been dramatic, Luca. Always jumping to conclusions."
"Don't play games with me," Luca said, his voice rising. "I've seen the way you've been cozying up to the Germans. You think aligning yourself with them will give you power, but they'll use you and discard you like everyone else."
Antonio stood, his calm demeanor cracking as anger flashed in his eyes. "You think I want to betray Sicily? I'm doing what I have to do to protect this family. Father's plan is madness—playing both sides will only get us killed. The Germans are stronger than you realize, and when they win, I intend to be on the right side of history."
"The Germans aren't going to win," Luca said firmly. "The Allies are coming, and you know it. When they do, you'll be left standing with nothing but blood on your hands."
A tense silence filled the room. Antonio's expression softened, just slightly, as if he was struggling with something unspoken.
"Luca," he said after a moment, "I'm trying to save us. Father won't listen to reason. He's clinging to old ideas, to a world that no longer exists. If we don't adapt, we'll be crushed by what's coming."
"And you think siding with the enemy is the answer?" Luca shot back. "You'd betray your own people for a chance at power?"
"I'm not betraying anyone," Antonio growled. "I'm securing our future. This is survival."
Luca felt the weight of his brother's words sink into him. The truth was, part of him understood Antonio's desperation. The world they had grown up in was disappearing, and the future was uncertain. But there was a line that couldn't be crossed, and Antonio had crossed it.
"I'm not here to argue," Luca said, his voice low. "I'm giving you a chance to walk away from this before it's too late. The Germans won't protect you when the Allies land. But we can. The family can. If you choose to stand with them, you're on your own."
Antonio's eyes flashed with anger again, but there was something else there—something like fear. For a brief moment, Luca saw his younger brother, the one he had always tried to shield from the darker side of their world.
"You always were father's favorite," Antonio muttered, his voice tinged with bitterness. "Always the one he trusted with the real decisions. You think I don't know that?"
Luca shook his head, his heart heavy. "This isn't about father. This is about us. About what's right."
Antonio's face hardened, and Luca knew that whatever chance there had been to sway his brother was gone. The moment passed, and they stood on opposite sides of a war that was now as much about family as it was about survival.
"If you walk out of here," Antonio said, his voice cold, "then you're the one who's betraying the family."
Luca didn't respond. He turned and walked toward the door, his heart pounding with the weight of what had just been set in motion.
The journey back to the resistance camp was tense. The Sicilian countryside, once familiar and safe, now felt full of unseen dangers. Every shadow could hide a German patrol, every farmhouse could be a trap. But Luca's thoughts remained on Antonio, on the brother he had tried to save and now had to face as an enemy.
As the camp came into view, Enzo was waiting, his expression grave. "How did it go?"
Luca climbed off his horse and shook his head. "He won't back down. He's with them."
Enzo cursed under his breath. "So, what now?"
Luca looked out at the camp, at the men and women who had placed their trust in him. They were fighting for their homes, their families, and their future. And now, they would have to fight his brother too.
"Now," Luca said, his voice steady, "we prepare for war."