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Luzia blinked. Standing between them now was a figure in a white nightgown, face concealed by a sleek black mask. The person's blade gleamed under the dim light, dripping with Cecilia's blood.
Luzia fought to keep her expression impassive, but a cold sweat prickled at the nape of her neck, she could smell the scent of blood thicken in the air.
Cecilia's wild eyes darted to the newcomer, her stance shifting from aggression to wary defense. "You—" she hissed, stumbling slightly as she pressed a hand against her wound.
The masked figure remained silent, tilting their head slightly. Their posture was calm yet ready to strike again.
Luzia, recovering from the shock, narrowed her eyes at the masked figure. "Took you long enough, Elena," she mumbled, thinking, 'I thought I was done for. Guess I should've known Elena would make a dramatic entrance.'
"I apologize for the delay, my lady," Elena said, voice smooth.
Luzia let out a breath, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Enough. Restrain her."
Without hesitation, Elena advanced. Cecilia barely had time to react before Elena struck, and in the next instant, Elena's arm locked around Cecilia's neck, forcing her to her knees.
Cecilia gasped, clawing at Elena's arm, but Elena remained unmoved, her grip like iron. "Fighting back will only make it worse," Elena murmured, her voice devoid of emotion.
Luzia watched the scene unfold with a cool expression. "Hold her steady," she ordered, stepping closer. She knelt beside Cecilia, tilting her head. "You made a mess of things, didn't you?"
Cecilia's glare was pure venom, but pain dulled its usual edge. "Go to hell," she spat, her voice ragged.
Luzia smirked. "After you."
Before she could press further, a rapid series of footsteps echoed from the hallway. Luzia stood, adjusting the lace trim of her sleeve just as Ramiro stormed in.
His sharp gaze swept over the room—Elena in her eerie nightgown, Cecilia restrained and bleeding, and Luzia standing composed amidst the chaos. "Dios mío, Luzia," he muttered, exasperation thick in his tone. "What is... First, are you okay?"
Luzia crossed her arms. "Took you long enough, Don't worry, I saved my own skin." She nodded toward Cecilia. "Though I'm guessing you'd rather have her breathing, correct?"
Ramiro sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Preferably. We need her alive for abit." His eyes flicked to Elena. "Let her go. I'll take it from here."
Elena hesitated, then released Cecilia, who collapsed onto the floor, coughing weakly.
Ramiro's eyes glowed with a fierce golden hue, and shimmering magical chains coiled around Cecilia like living serpents. The metal glowed softly, tightening just enough to keep her restrained but conscious. Cecilia groaned, struggling weakly against the bindings, but they held firm.
Luzia watched with mild amusement. "A little late for theatrics, don't you think?" she teased, arching a brow.
Ramiro sighed. His thoughts raced. 'Two spies and an assassin in my estate... How did Luzia uncover all this before I did?' He prided himself on his vigilance, yet somehow, Luzia had managed to get ahead of him.
He exhaled sharply, casting a sidelong glance at her. "You want to tell me how you figured this out?"
Luzia's lips curled into a smirk. "Let's just say I have my ways." She turned away, smoothing down the lace on her sleeve with deliberate nonchalance. "Besides, I wasn't about to wait for you to connect the dots."
Cecilia's fingers twitched against the restraints, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to maintain her composure.
Ramiro's eyes flicked over the scene, his jaw tightening. "Luzia... you could have told me."
He took a step closer, his gaze searching hers. "I'm your father."
For a fleeting moment, something in Luzia's expression wavered, but it was gone just as quickly, replaced by that same cool detachment. She exhaled softly, shaking her head. "And that's exactly why I didn't."
Ramiro's brow furrowed, frustration flickering in his eyes. "Luzia—"
"You're my father," she interrupted, her voice softer but no less firm. "Not my keeper."
She held up a hand before he could speak, her eyes steady. "You would've tried to stop me." A hint of warmth softened her sharp gaze, but only for a moment. "I had it under control."
A pained groan cut through the tension.
"Excuse me," Cecilia wheezed from the floor, her face twisted in agony. "Are you two seriously ignoring me? I'm dying here."
Luzia and Ramiro turned in perfect unison, their glares so synchronized that Cecilia's blood ran cold.
"Shut your mouth, you vermin," they said in unison.
Cecilia swallowed hard, her lips snapping shut. 'They're both alike. It's scary. I need to get out of here.'
Her eyes darted toward Elena, desperation creeping in. She mouthed silently, 'Elena, it's me... your close friend, Cecilia. You'd help your own friend, right?'
Elena arched an unimpressed brow and mouthed back, 'You lied to me as well.'
Cecilia blinked rapidly, panic bubbling up. She shook her head frantically, mouthing, 'That was different! I had to lie in order to fit in here. I have a good reason for doing this... You of all people should understand!'
Elena stared at her for a while, her eyes searching Cecilia's face. For a split second, hope flickered in Cecilia's chest. But then Elena's expression hardened, and she mouthed, 'I can't help you,' before looking away.
Cecilia clenched her jaw, glaring daggers at Elena. 'Great. She is useless, as always,' she thought bitterly.
Ramiro exhaled, his lips pressing into a thin line as he turned back to Luzia. "Under control? You were nearly—" He cut himself off with a frustrated sigh, dragging a hand through his hair. "Luzia, this isn't a game. You could've died."
Luzia's smirk returned, though it no longer held its usual confidence. "I know that." Her voice was steady, but a flicker of something vulnerable passed through her expression. "But waiting around and doing nothing would've killed me too." Her tone hardened. "I needed to handle it myself."
She gestured toward Cecilia, still writhing weakly in the golden chains. "Look—now we have both of them."
Ramiro's jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. "You don't have to prove anything to me, Luzia."
For a brief second, Luzia's smirk faltered, but she quickly masked it. "It's not about proving anything," she said, her gaze flicking to Cecilia, bound and bleeding. "It's about surviving."
Ramiro studied her for a long moment, something unreadable in his expression. 'I guess she's always had to survive on her own,' he thought grimly.
Running a hand through his dark hair, he let out a slow breath. "I just wish you'd trusted me enough to tell me first."
Luzia hesitated, noticing the subtle shift in his expression—the disappointment, the hurt. Her fingers twitched at her sides. 'Did I… hurt him?'
Ramiro shook his head, his voice quieter now. "I guess you still don't see me as your father."
Silence hung between them, thick and heavy.
Elena, standing by the doorway, watched with an unreadable expression, her presence a silent reminder of the conversation's weight.
After a moment, Ramiro straightened and turned back to Cecilia, his golden chains tightening ever so slightly. "We'll talk about this later," he muttered, his attention shifting back to the matter at hand.
His eyes darkened, voice low and dangerous. "I don't think I need to keep both of you alive."
The golden chains pulsed in response to his words, constricting with a slow, deliberate force.
Cecilia let out a ragged breath, glaring at him through pained eyes. "Huh? Don't you need information?" she rasped.
Ramiro leaned in, his presence suffocating. "No, I already know you both work for Arturo. And I know why you wanted the Ignis."
Cecilia's eyes widened, her pupils trembling. 'Wait… how does he—?'
A slow, predatory smile crept onto Ramiro's face. "I believe your master won't mind at all if I dispose of you two."
'Shit,' Cecilia thought, her mind racing.
Ramiro snapped his fingers. A golden magic circle flared to life beneath Cecilia, intricate patterns of light swirling outward like serpents coiling around their prey.
Cecilia's eyes widened in panic. She shook her head violently, scrambling against the invisible force pressing down on her. "Wait—my lord, please! Have mercy! I... I had no choice!" Her voice cracked with desperation. "Lord Arturo, he—he blackmailed me, I swear!"
Her pleas were cut off as a golden band materialized around her lips, sealing them shut with a soft but absolute finality. Her words turned into muffled whimpers and frantic, wide-eyed screams.
Cecilia trembled, her muffled screams turning into desperate gasps as the golden chains tightened. Her wide, pleading eyes darted between Ramiro and Luzia, silently begging for mercy.
Luzia merely crossed her arms, watching with a detached sort of amusement. "Good choice," she remarked, brushing a stray speck of dust from her sleeve. "Excuses bore me, Cecilia. Do yourself a favor and stay silent."
Ramiro stepped forward, gazing down at her with cold, unflinching eyes. His voice was low, calm, yet carried a weight that crushed any hope she had left. "I'm not killing you... yet." He tilted his head slightly, his golden eyes glowing eerily. "But let's see how long you last before you start wishing I had." a smirk ghosted his lips. "The Cazadores estate dungeon has a way of... reshaping perspectives."
Cecilia's breath hitched, her entire body going rigid as an icy dread seeped into her bones. Her wide eyes locked onto Ramiro's, searching for even a hint of mercy—but there was none. Just that cold, unnerving smile that made her stomach churn.
Ramiro flicking his wrist. The golden magic circle pulsed once more, and Cecilia's body disappeared.