The voice on the line wasn't Lorenzo's. That much I knew immediately. It had a clipped precision, sharp like a knife slicing through the fog in my mind.
"Damien," it said again, slow and deliberate. "The clock's ticking. Are you really going to make me wait?"
"Who is this?" I asked, pacing toward the window. My other hand gripped the edge of the frame, nails digging into the wood.
"Someone who's finally tired of watching from the sidelines," the voice replied. "You've been a fascinating study, but now it's time for you to play by my rules."
I locked eyes with Mira across the room. She tilted her head, silently mouthing, Who?
I shook my head.
"Where's Alessia?" I demanded.
The voice chuckled, low and mocking. "Safe for now. Whether she stays that way depends entirely on you."
The call cut off. A hollow dial tone hummed in my ear.
"What the hell was that?" Mira asked, closing the space between us.
