Shadows Closing In

Anastasia’s breaths came in sharp, ragged gasps as she and Maximilian sprinted through the narrow alley, their footsteps echoing off the cobblestones. The night sky above them was moonless, a blanket of darkness concealing their every move. Behind them, the distant shouts of Moretti’s men grew louder, closer. They couldn’t afford to slow down, not now—not when the noose was tightening around them with every second.

“This way!” Maximilian’s voice was low but urgent as he grabbed Anastasia’s hand, pulling her down a side street barely wide enough for them to pass through. Her heart pounded against her ribs, the adrenaline coursing through her veins making every nerve feel electric. They had narrowly escaped a deadly ambush—Moretti’s forces had been waiting for them, lying in wait like predators ready to pounce. If Maximilian hadn’t spotted the trap at the last second, they would have been cornered, outnumbered, and… dead.