A Dangerous Bargain

Emma's pulse pounded in her ears as the cold blade pressed against her throat.

The masked figure held her tightly, their grip like iron. Around them, the room was in chaos—gunfire, shouting, the crash of furniture being overturned. But all Emma could focus on was that voice.

She knew it.

Somewhere, somehow, she had heard it before.

"You shouldn't have taken what belongs to us," the attacker repeated, their breath warm against her ear.

Emma swallowed hard. "I don't know what you're talking about."

A sharp chuckle. "Oh, but you do."

The blade shifted, just slightly, enough to remind her they were in control.

Then, before Emma could react, a powerful gust of wind blasted through the room, sending papers and broken glass flying.

Alexander.

He had activated his power.

The masked figure flinched—just enough for Emma to react.

She slammed her elbow into their ribs, twisting out of their grasp. The blade grazed her arm, a stinging pain flaring through her skin, but she ignored it.

Emma dove forward, grabbing the amulet from the floor.

Alexander was already moving, his eyes glowing faintly as he sent another wave of energy through the air. The attackers stumbled back, momentarily disoriented.

Marcus, meanwhile, had resorted to his usual tactic—hitting people with furniture.

"Why is it always me getting kidnapped?" Emma muttered as she scrambled to her feet.

"Maybe you should stop holding onto ancient cursed objects," Marcus shot back, swinging a broken chair at another attacker.

The masked figures were regrouping. Emma could see it in the way they moved—calculated, precise. They weren't ordinary mercenaries.

They knew what they were after.

"We need to move!" Alexander called.

Hawthorne, who had been crouched behind his desk, nodded quickly. "There's a back exit!"

Emma didn't hesitate. She turned and sprinted toward the hallway, the others close behind. The attackers shouted orders, but by the time they recovered, the group had already disappeared into the night.

---

Paris, Midnight

They didn't stop running until they reached an abandoned church deep in the city.

The heavy wooden doors groaned as they pushed them open, stepping into the dark, silent space. Dust floated in the air, illuminated by the dim glow of streetlights filtering through the stained-glass windows.

Hawthorne wiped sweat from his forehead. "That was… unexpected."

Marcus flopped onto a pew. "Speak for yourself. I totally expected it."

Emma's hands were still shaking as she examined the cut on her arm. "They knew about the amulet."

Alexander nodded. "And they knew exactly where to find us."

Hawthorne hesitated. "Which means…"

Emma's stomach turned. "Someone betrayed us."

Silence fell.

Marcus groaned. "Great. Love that. Who wants to play 'Guess the Traitor' first?"

Alexander's jaw clenched. "It doesn't matter. Right now, we need to figure out who they were."

Emma ran a finger over the amulet, feeling the faint energy pulsing beneath its surface. "I think I already know."

Alexander's gaze snapped to her. "Who?"

Emma exhaled. "The Revenant."

Hawthorne paled.

Marcus frowned. "I thought those guys were wiped out centuries ago."

Hawthorne shook his head. "Not wiped out. Scattered. Hidden."

Emma met Alexander's gaze. "But now they're back. And they want this." She held up the amulet.

Alexander's expression darkened. "Then we need to make sure they don't get it."

---

The Deal

Hours passed.

The city outside was quiet, but Emma knew they weren't safe. The Revenant had found them once. They would find them again.

And next time, they might not escape.

"We need leverage," Alexander said, pacing the length of the church. "Something to make them back off."

Emma frowned. "Like what?"

He stopped, staring at the amulet. "A trade."

Hawthorne nearly choked. "You can't be serious."

Marcus sat up. "Yeah, that sounds like a terrible idea."

Alexander ignored them. His eyes were locked on Emma. "We offer them a deal. We give them something in exchange for information."

Emma crossed her arms. "And what exactly are we offering?"

Alexander hesitated.

Then he said, "Me."

Emma's heart stopped.

"No," she said immediately.

Marcus blinked. "Hold on, what?"

Alexander's voice was steady. "They don't just want the amulet. They want power. And if they know who I am—what I can do—they might be willing to negotiate."

Emma shook her head. "That's insane. You'd be walking into a trap!"

Alexander stepped closer, his expression unreadable. "If it means keeping you safe, it's worth it."

Emma's chest ached. "No. I won't let you."

Alexander's gaze softened. "Emma—"

"No!" she snapped, stepping forward. "I get it. You're the billionaire, the hero, the guy who thinks he has to fix everything. But you're not doing this alone."

Marcus raised a hand. "I'd also like to vote 'no' on this plan."

Hawthorne sighed. "I agree. There has to be another way."

Alexander exhaled. "Then we need a new plan."

Emma tightened her grip on the amulet. "We don't need to trade. We need to win."

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "And how do we do that?"

Emma looked up, determination burning in her eyes.

"We find the other pieces before they do."

---

The Chase Begins

By dawn, they had a lead.

Hawthorne had spent the night digging through old records, cross-referencing ancient maps and texts.

Finally, he pointed to a location.

"Here."

Emma leaned over the table. "Greece?"

Hawthorne nodded. "An island. One of the last places the Revenant were rumored to have hidden a fragment of the seal."

Marcus sighed. "Why is it never somewhere nice? Like a beach resort?"

Alexander rolled up the map. "Let's move. We don't have time to waste."

Emma's pulse quickened.

The race had begun.

The Revenant were after them. Azariel was waking up.

And now, the only way to stop it…

Was to win the race.

Before the world fell apart.