"Really hope he doesn't cry this time..." Luzia thought as she looked at Ramiro. To her surprise, he did not cry at all. All she could see in his eyes was pure, unrelenting anger.
"Progress," she mused silently, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.
Ramiro's glare was sharp enough to pierce through stone, his eyes glowing faintly as golden chains materialized out of thin air, wrapping around Iván. The weight of the magic forced him down to his knees, the floor groaning beneath him.
As the chains tightened, Ramiro's thoughts drifted. When Luzia asked me for a second favor—to pretend I'd left for the Magic Tower—I wasn't sure what she was planning. But now... I see.
"Dad, do you sense anyone else here aside from Iván?" Luzia asked, her tone composed but edged with an underlying tension.
Ramiro closed his eyes for a brief moment before shaking his head. "Not at all," he said firmly. "Was there supposed to be another person?"
A shadow flickered across Luzia's face.
Luzia figured out Iván was a spy within days of staying here... but he's been under me for two years, and I didn't notice. Ramiro's jaw clenched, shame tightening around his heart like a vice. The worst part? Luzia could have died today if I hadn't arrived in time.
Tears threatened to well in his eyes, but he forced them back. No... I'm not going to cry. Not in front of Luzia. If I lose control now, my magic might as well follow.
Luzia, meanwhile, was caught in a chilling realization. If there was no one else here... then that meant—
A low, dark chuckle escaped Iván's lips, breaking the tense silence like shattered glass. His eyes gleamed with sinister amusement.
"You're too late," he whispered, his voice laced with triumph.
"Ah, shit..." Luzia mumbled under her breath before turning to Ramiro. "Dad, stay here with Iván. I have something I need to check."
"But—" Ramiro began, but before he could finish, Luzia had already rushed off.
Ramiro sighed, then raised his hand. "Esteban," he called. A green magic circle glowed beneath him, and in an instant, Esteban materialized from it.
"Yes, my lord," Esteban said, bowing slightly.
"Watch over him. Make sure he doesn't escape," Ramiro ordered, his eyes still fixed in the direction Luzia had run off.
"As you command," Esteban replied, stepping forward to stand guard over Iván.
Ramiro hesitated for a moment, then followed after Luzia. I'm guessing she's going to check if the Ignis is still intact.
---
"I have to be quick! These damn little legs..." Luzia cursed in her head, pushing herself to move faster. Her heart pounded as she dashed through the hallways, skidding to a stop at her room.
The closet door was open.
Luzia swallowed hard and stepped inside, her chest rising and falling with rapid breaths. "Come out! I know you're in there..." she called, her voice steady despite the sweat trickling down her temple.
Her eyes darted to the ornate chest in the corner. And then—
A figure in a hooded black cloak materialized before it, as if melting out of the shadows.
"You prepared for this day efficiently," the figure mused, voice smooth yet laced with frustration. "I can't seem to crack the magic code, and I can't break the chest itself."
Luzia exhaled a sigh of relief. Thank goodness... the Ignis is still safe.
"But," the figure continued, tapping the chest thoughtfully, "I thought... why not just teleport with it?"
Luzia's mind raced. I have to stall her. She can't leave here with it.
"For you to have known it was here... that's quite surprising," Luzia said, carefully measuring her words. "No one except Aurelio, Cecilia, and myself knew where it was located. Iván couldn't have known, and Aurelio isn't a spy..." Her gaze hardened. "So, Cecilia, why did you decide to betray me?"
It was only a hunch, but Luzia was sure of one thing—if Cecilia had conveyed information to this thief, then she must be lurking nearby, hiding in the shadows. Luzia's eyes scanned the room, searching for movement.
A soft, mocking laugh escaped the cloaked figure. Then, with a slow, deliberate turn, they faced Luzia.
A hand reached up, pulling back the hood to reveal—
"Cecilia?" Luzia whispered, her eyes widening in shock.
The woman smiled coyly. "Oh, my lady... did I surprise you? My deepest apologies," she said with a graceful bow, her familiar features bathed in the dim light.
Luzia's mind raced. But... Elena said light blue hair and light blue eyes.
Her thoughts were cut short when Cecilia straightened, and in the blink of an eye, her entire appearance shifted.
The once brown-haired woman now had striking light blue hair and piercing blue eyes—just as Elena had described. A smirk curled at her lips as she watched Luzia with a knowing glint in her eyes.
"You and Cecilia are the same person," Luzia stated flatly, crossing her arms as she stared at the woman before her.
The imposter—Cecilia, or whoever she really was—tilted her head, amusement flickering in her blue eyes. "Sharp as ever, my lady. I must admit, I'm impressed it took you this long to figure it out."
Luzia scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself. I had my suspicions the moment Elena described you. The only reason I didn't expose you sooner was because I was waiting for you to slip up. And, well... here you are."
Cecilia's smirk faltered just a little. "Is that so?"
'That was a lie. I had no idea Cecilia and the woman Elena described were the same person.' Luzia thought, keeping her expression neutral.
Taking a step forward, Luzia's voice dropped to a colder tone. "Let's skip the theatrics, shall we? Who are you really? Arturo sent you, didn't he?"
Cecilia chuckled, leaning casually against the chest. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Luzia's eyes darkened. "You're still standing here, which tells me you're stalling. That means you're either waiting for backup... or you're too damn scared to leave without getting what you came for." She took another step closer, her voice sharp as a blade. "Tell me, Cecilia—or whatever your name is—what's stopping you from teleporting out right now? And make it good, because if you're waiting for me to beg, you're wasting your time."
Cecilia's lips curled into a smirk, but Luzia caught the tightness in her jaw. "You're awfully confident for someone so... cornered."
Luzia arched an eyebrow. "Cornered? Please. You're the one with no options left. You can't crack the magic code, you can't break the chest, and teleporting with it? That's just wishful thinking, isn't it?" She leaned in slightly, voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Must be frustrating."
If she could teleport with the chest, she would have done it long before I got here. That means... she can't. Luzia mused, carefully watching Cecilia's every move.
The imposter's smile faded, her eyes narrowing in irritation. "You're awfully annoying, my lady."
Luzia grinned. "I don't particularly care. Now, are we going to keep playing this little game, or are you going to make yourself useful and tell me what you want with the Ignis?"
Cecilia inhaled sharply but stayed silent, her fingers twitching slightly.
Luzia smirked. "Ah, so we're back to the silent treatment. How predictable. Let me make it easier for you—either you start talking, or I start screaming."
Cecilia blinked. "Screaming?"
Luzia shrugged. "You think I won't? My father is right down the hall. One shout, and he'll be here faster than you can try to pull another disappearing act." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "And if that happens, well... I'd love to see you try to explain yourself before Esteban drags you out by that fake little hair of yours."
Cecilia's eye twitched. "You wouldn't dare."
Luzia's grin widened, wolfish and taunting. "Try me."
Suddenly, a light blue magic aura engulfed Cecilia like flickering flames, crackling with restrained power. Her once-smirking face hardened, her gaze sharp and calculating. The air thickened, pressing against Luzia.
"You talk too much," Cecilia muttered, her voice low and laced with irritation.
A wild look flickered in Cecilia's eyes as she took a step forward, her magic flaring brighter. "Let's see if you'll be able to talk this much after your death," she said, her voice dripping with malice.
Cecilia's eyes burned with fury, and without another word, she lunged at Luzia, her magic surging forward in a blinding flash of blue light.
Luzia braced herself, her mind racing for what to do, but before Cecilia's attack could reach her—
Slash!
A shadow moved with deadly precision, and in an instant, Cecilia's magic was cut off. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she staggered back, clutching her side where a thin line of crimson seeped through her clothes.