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. "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 as she tried to piece together the fragments of their cryptic conversation. "What am I up against?" she asked quietly, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her.
Sylus hesitated, his jaw tightening. "There's a group," he said finally, his tone careful. "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.
"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. "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. "They're here."
Rose's blood turned cold. "Who's here?"
Sylus turned to her, his expression fierce. "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.
But one thing was clear: she couldn't run from this anymore.
"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."