Rose's knees felt weak, and she stumbled back a step, her head spinning. "A target?" she echoed, her voice trembling. "What are you talking about? What does Vienna have to do with me?"
Lucas cast a fleeting look at Sylus, his expression unreadable. "She doesn't know yet, does she?" he asked, his voice edged with disapproval.
"She knows enough," Sylus snapped, his tone defensive. "And that's all she needs to know for now."
Rose's frustration boiled over. "Stop talking about me like I'm not here! If I'm in danger, I deserve to know why! What is Vienna? Who's targeting me?"
Sylus sighed, running a hand through his hair. His usual composure seemed to crack under the pressure. "It's complicated, kitten."
"Then un-complicate it!" she demanded, her fists clenched. The anger building inside her wasn't just from fear anymore, it was from the betrayal she felt. "I'm done being left in the dark!"
Lucas folded his arms, leaning against the wall. "Sylus, you can't keep her out of this forever. The Watcher isn't playing games anymore. If Vienna's in play, it means she's critical to their plans."
Sylus's gaze hardened, and his voice dropped to a growl. "She's not a pawn for them to use."
"Then stop treating her like one," Lucas shot back. "She's stronger than you think, but she can't fight back if she doesn't know what she's up against."
The tension in the room was suffocating. Rose's heart pounded, a familiar panic creeping into her chest. Her breath came in shallow bursts as she tried to piece together the fragments of their cryptic conversation. What am I up against? she thought, her mind racing to make sense of the situation.
"What am I up against?" she asked quietly, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her.
Sylus hesitated, his jaw tightening. The hesitation was enough to confirm that whatever came next was something even he wasn't ready to share. Finally, he spoke, his tone careful. "There's a group," he said. "They call themselves the Consortium. They're not just after me—they're after you. Because of who you are."
"And who am I?" Rose whispered, the weight of his words settling heavily on her chest. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck rise, the sense that she was on the edge of something far bigger than herself closing in.
"You're the key to Vienna," Sylus said. "The one person who can either unlock it or destroy it. And that makes you the most valuable—and dangerous—person in their eyes."
Rose shook her head, confusion and disbelief swirling in her mind. "That doesn't make any sense! I don't even know what Vienna is!"
Lucas's voice cut through the haze. "It's not a what—it's a place. And not just any place. It's the epicenter of everything the Consortium has been building toward. Power, secrets, control—they're all tied to Vienna. And for some reason, you're the only one who can access it."
Rose stared at him, her mouth dry. "Why me?"
Sylus stepped closer, his eyes softening as they met hers. There was a flicker of something in his gaze—regret, perhaps? Or was it fear? "Because you're more than you think, kitten. There's something inside you—something even you don't fully understand yet. But the Consortium does, and they'll stop at nothing to get to you."
A chilling realization washed over Rose as she recalled the cryptic warnings in her notebook, the strange sensations she'd felt lately, the sense that she was being watched. What if… she started, her voice shaky, what if they're right? What if I can't trust you?
Sylus flinched as if the words physically hurt him, but his gaze remained steady. "Then I'll prove to you that you can," he said. "But first, you have to trust yourself—and decide who you want to fight for."
A loud crash outside the apartment shattered the tense moment, followed by a muffled scream. Lucas's hand shot to the weapon holstered under his jacket, and Sylus's stance shifted, ready to defend.
"We're out of time," Lucas muttered, his eyes narrowing. "They're here."
Rose's blood turned cold. "Who's here?"
Sylus turned to her, his expression fierce. His eyes darkened with an intensity that made her heart race. "The Consortium's hunters. Stay behind me, no matter what happens."
Her phone buzzed again, and for the first time, she looked at the message.
You can still save yourself. Leave with us now.
Her hands shook as she clutched the phone, her mind racing. The walls of her reality were crumbling, and she didn't know who to trust or where to turn. The message felt like a warning, but she couldn't tell if it was from an ally or an enemy. Who are these people?
But one thing was clear: she couldn't run from this anymore. Her connection to Vienna, the Consortium's obsession with her—it was all too dangerous.
"Let's end this," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.
Sylus nodded, his eyes glinting with determination. "Stay close, kitten. We're just getting started."
As the door creaked ominously, the sound of footsteps growing louder, Rose's grip on her phone tightened. She wasn't sure if she was ready for what was coming next, but she knew one thing: she would face it, no matter the cost.