Chapter127

Deborah's POV

I stood at the threshold of Lugh's office, my hands trembling at my sides. Anxiety clawed at me, gnawing at the resolve I had worked so hard to muster. But I forced myself to push it down, locking the fear deep inside. This wasn't the time to falter. This was about more than me—it was about Tirfothuinn's people, the fate of the Sky Cities, and perhaps even the fragile hope of a lasting peace.

If I could seal Lugh's powers, there was a chance to bring the Thorne and Vandran families into an alliance with Tirfothuinn. Barron, ever the diplomat, could broker a truce. And if I stood in Lugh's place as a representative of the Edwards family, perhaps I could negotiate peace myself. One last obstacle—the Vandran family—would remain. But if Lugh fell, so would the barriers he had erected.

He was the origin of this chaos. If I failed to stop him, no truce would ever hold.

I took a deep breath, hearing distant echoes of explosions outside. The warning sirens had ceased, but the silence didn't feel like safety. It felt like the calm before a storm.

Perhaps the sirens had been destroyed completely.

My heart pounded as I pushed open the door to his office.

It was empty.

Of course, I hadn't expected him to greet me here, not when there was a hidden chamber somewhere in this room. My gaze swept the bookshelves lining the walls, scanning for anything out of place. Somewhere behind these books lay the path to the command center.

My fingers moved over the spines, pressing gently and testing for switches. My pulse quickened with every passing second without success. Lugh was clever—cunning, even—and he would have hidden this entrance well.

Finally, in the far corner near the floor, my hand brushed something unusual. A tiny lever, so small I almost missed it. I gripped it, straining as I turned it, the resistance making my arms ache. With a soft click, the bookshelf began to slide aside.

Behind it was a staircase descending into darkness.

The light from the wall sconces barely stretched beyond a few steps, casting faint, flickering shadows on the stone walls. The air was colder here, the silence pressing down on me. I took the first step, then another, each one feeling heavier than the last as if I were walking into the belly of a beast.

When I reached the bottom, I saw a heavy metal door at the end of the hall.

I pushed it open.

The room beyond was large, filled with glowing monitors and maps. Standing in the center, with his back to me, was Lugh.

He turned slowly, his eyes meeting mine.

"Dara." His voice was calm, tinged with mild surprise. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you in the bunker? Didn't the staff escort you to safety?"

I avoided his gaze, keeping my head down. His tone was deceptively gentle, but I knew better than to trust it.

"You shouldn't be here," he said, his voice deepening, a trace of irritation slipping through.

I didn't answer.

Instead, I forced myself to recall the spell—the one chance I had to seal his power. I rehearsed the words silently in my mind, over and over, willing myself not to falter.

Finally, I raised my head, meeting his gaze briefly before shouting the incantation:

"Per virtutem terrae, aeris, ignis, et aquae,

Sigillum hoc claudatur,

Donec lux nova adveniat!"

The air in the room seemed to ripple. The lights flickered violently, plunging the command center into alternating bursts of darkness and light. I heard Lugh grunt in pain, his hands clutching his chest as he doubled over.

For a moment, I dared to hope.

Was it working? Was he falling under the spell's power?

But then, through the flickering shadows, I saw him straighten. His face was pale but composed, his lips curling into a sinister smile.

"Dara," he said, his tone dripping with mockery. "You've inherited my stubbornness after all. Love must have truly blinded you. Sacrificing yourself for that filthy wolf, daring to challenge your father?"

I took a step back as he advanced. His eyes gleamed with malice, and I avoided them, terrified he would use Domination against me.

"You thought you could fool me?" he continued, his voice cold and biting. "Your little tricks—bringing Chad into your room, playing at rebellion—I've seen it all. Do you think a father doesn't know his own daughter's schemes?"

His laugh echoed off the walls, low and cruel.

"You're afraid to look at me," he said, taking another step closer. "Do you think closing your eyes will save you? Foolish girl. You've only just begun to understand what it means to be a Demon."

I tried to back away, but he was faster. His hand shot out, grabbing my chin and forcing my head upward.

"Your blood is my blood," he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "I've tied your life to mine, Dara. From the moment I brought you back, we've been bound. You think you can kill me without killing yourself? Think again."

My mind reeled. Bound?

I stared at him, horrified.

"Yes," he said, as if reading my thoughts. "That's why I've never doubted you. You are my daughter, my creation. And you will obey me."

I clenched my fists, anger boiling beneath my fear. "You're wrong," I spat. "Tirfothuinn is already here. Ablach will fall. You can't win this."

Lugh smirked, his grip tightening. "Then I'll make sure you fall with me," he said. "I don't need you alive to remind Matthew of his failures. You'll make a fine example—a lesson in what happens when someone dares to defy me."

His hand moved to the top of my head, and I felt a wave of pressure crush down on me.

"Close your eyes, Dara," he murmured, his voice dark and hypnotic. "It's time for you to rest."

The darkness swallowed me whole.