But Alaric’s price was clear.
“If you don’t return what was taken,” he said calmly, “your daughter—marked by the Guardian—will become the key.”
A Father’s Choice
Jonathan didn’t hesitate.
When Alaric lunged, Jonathan shoved a stack of rotting crates onto him. The chamber shook. The vial Alaric carried shattered against the wall.
Jonathan grabbed the codex and ran.
Behind him, the tunnels roared awake.
But one truth was clear:
The fortune didn’t matter.
The mansion didn’t matter.
Only Sofia did.
And Jonathan Romero would burn the entire inheritance to the ground before letting the darkness claim his daughter.
