The night swallowed everything.
By the time Adrian returned to his quarters, the church had fallen back into silence—as if nothing had happened.
As if no blood had been drawn.
No bullets fired.
No secrets exposed.
But his body told a different story.
His sleeve was torn.
His breathing uneven.
A thin line of blood traced down his forearm.
And beneath it—
The mark.
The wolf.
Dark. Defined. Unmistakable.
Adrian stood before the mirror, staring at it in silence.
"…Why did they run?" he murmured.
His fingers brushed against the mark lightly, as if expecting it to respond.
But it didn't.
It never did.
And yet—
Tonight had changed something.
Those men hadn't feared him because of skill.
They had feared this.
His jaw tightened.
Without hesitation, he grabbed a clean cloth and wrapped it tightly around his arm, covering the mark completely.
Layer after layer.
Hidden.
Like it had always been.
Because whatever that symbol meant—
It was not something the world needed to see.
Not yet.
A soft knock came at his door.
Adrian stiffened.q
"…Father?" a voice called gently from outside.
A nun.
Normal.
Safe.
Adrian exhaled slowly, forcing his expression back into calm as he adjusted his robe.
"Come in."
The door opened quietly.
And just like that—
The priest returned.
Composed.
Untouched.
Unbreakable.
But beneath the surface—
The truth remained.
He was no longer just a man of faith.
And whatever past he had buried—
It was beginning to rise.
*******
The underground chamber was dimly lit.
Not part of the church.
Not part of anything holy.
This place existed in shadows—some distance away, hidden beneath an abandoned structure beyond the outskirts.
Lucien stepped in quietly, his expression tight, his movements urgent.
The room fell silent as he entered.
Men stood around—armed, watchful, dangerous.
All bearing the same mark.
The tiger.
One of them stepped forward.
"You were followed?" he asked sharply.
Lucien shook his head.
"No. But I was found."
Murmurs spread through the room.
"…By who?" another demanded.
Lucien hesitated.
"…Her."
Silence.
That single word carried weight.
The air shifted.
"Then the ghost walks among saints," a voice muttered from the shadows.
Lucien didn't respond.
Instead, his gaze lifted—
Toward the far end of the room.
Where a figure sat.
Hidden in darkness.
Unmoving.
Watching.
No face.
No features.
Only presence.
And power.
Lucien lowered his head slightly.
"…Capo."
The room stilled instantly.
No one spoke out of turn.
No one moved.
Because the man in the shadows—
Was Matteo.
He didn't speak immediately.
Didn't need to.
His silence alone controlled the room.
Finally—
"Report."
The voice was low.
Calm.
But final.
Lucien stepped forward slightly.
"She's here," he said. "Embedded within the church. Just as predicted."
A pause.
"And the relic?" Matteo asked.
Lucien exhaled quietly.
"I confirmed the location."
The room leaned in.
"It's beneath the church. Hidden in a sealed chamber connected to the lower archives."
A faint shift in the shadows.
Interest.
"Access?" Matteo asked.
Lucien hesitated.
"…Possible."
Not easy.
But he didn't say that.
Didn't mention the puzzle.
The mechanism.
The part that could kill anyone who tried blindly.
Because in this world—
Information was power.
And power was never given freely.
Another man stepped forward, smirking slightly.
"So the sanctuary hides a grave," he muttered. "Didn't expect the saints to keep secrets this deep.
"Everything has a vault," another replied coldly. "You just need the right key… or the right blood."
Matteo remained silent.
Then—
"Prepare the circle," he said.
Instant obedience followed.
Weapons checked.
Plans forming.
Eyes sharpening.
Lucien stepped back slightly, his mind racing.
Because something about tonight felt… off.
Seraphina was moving faster than expected.
And there was something else.
Something he hadn't reported.
Something that lingered in his thoughts like a shadow.
The priest.
Adrian.
And the mark he hadn't fully seen—
But felt.
Lucien's jaw tightened slightly.
"…There's one more thing," he began carefully.
The room stilled again.
Matteo didn't move.
But the air shifted.
"Permission granted"
Lucien spoke slowly.
"…The priest she's close to. He's not ordinary."
A pause.
"He fought back," Lucien continued. "Efficient. Trained."
Murmurs.
"But that's not all," he added quietly.
Silence fell again.
Because now—
It mattered.
Lucien's voice dropped.
"…There's something about him."
Matteo finally leaned forward—just slightly.
Still hidden.
Still unknown.
"…Find out what," he said.
Simple.
Final.
Deadly.
Lucien lowered his head.
"As you command, Capo."
And just like that—
The game deepened.
Because now—
It wasn't just Seraphina being watched.
Adrian had entered the board.
And Matteo—
Was paying attention.