Luca stood still, his posture deceptively calm, though his heart was far from it.
His eyes followed Alessia, tracing the stubborn set of her jaw, the glint of coldness that replaced the warmth he once knew.
He didn’t push.
He didn’t beg. He knew her mories were gone or worse, clouded by sothing sinister and forcing her to rember would only push her further away.
Instead, he stayed silent, a steady anchor in the storm she was trapped in.
But the pain was there, quietly gnawing at him, the woman he loved now looked at him as though he were the enemy.
It was Lauretta Morano, his mother, who finally broke the tension.
Her voice, calm yet edged with urgency, carried the weight of old secrets.
"We cannot wait any longer," Lauretta said, her gaze moving between her son and the woman who once called him hers. "Sothing has been done to her, Luca. This... this is not natural."
"She saw you in your anger state which isn’t supposed to be so, because she’s the moo.... " Mrs lauretta morano coughed to interrupt her.
Luca’s frown at everything. "I know."
"We must seek help," Lauretta continued, her tone grave. "There is soone who might be able to break this curse.
Her na is Lapátasodara Valká. An old witch, older than the Morano na itself. They say she deals with things most wouldn’t dare whisper about."
The na alone seed to chill the air. Even Daisy, who had been trying tirelessly to coax Alessia into so mory of friendship, stopped speaking.
She glanced at Luca, then back at Alessia. "She’s right. Alessia, please... you know , right? We’ve been through so much together. I’m Daisy. We’re like sisters. And Luca... he’s..."
"Stop," Alessia cut her off, her words sharp and final. "If everyone here is supposed to be my family, then Luca is the worst enemy of them all. And enemies are never family."
Her voice didn’t waver, and the silence that followed was heavier than any blade.
Luca swallowed hard, his face betraying nothing, but inside, the sting was deep.
She truly believed it. Seraphina’s hand was all over this.
*****
Across the city, far from the morano, Princess Elowen’s lashes fluttered open.
She blinked into the early light and noticed sothing wrong... Her bag was missing, and so was Bianca. Elowen sat up swiftly, confusion stirring into unease. "Is this another one of her gas?" she murmured to herself. "Running with her bag at a mont of their hide and seek ga? Or..." A sudden thought struck her like a cold hand. Her breath hitched. "The black book. Did she actually stole the black book from ?".
She grabbed her cloak and hurried out, but before she could go far, armored footsteps approached.
The familiar insignia of her father’s n ca into view.
They were scanning faces, their voices sharp.
One of them stopped her. "Young lady, have you seen this person?" He held up a poster, her own face stared back.
Elowen arched a brow, feigning confusion. "No. Why?"
"There’s a generous reward if you do. A very generous one," the soldier said, lowering his voice. "She’s important to the king."
Her heart raced, but her face was calm. "I haven’t seen her. I’m sorry." She even forced a small smile before walking away. Only when they were gone did she release the breath she’d been holding.
Bianca had vanished, and if the book was truly gone, everything they were fighting for was at risk. Still, Elowen pressed on, her path turning back toward Morano City, this ti without Bianca at her side.
Princess elowen knew this path she had taken won’t be as easy as she thought, but she knew she needed to do this, out of love she had for donato. Not because she want to have him to herself, but because he is the first man she has ever love and would do this as a price for the love. To make donato happy, not just donato but the first man she ever love even if it ans going against herself, her ho, her sanity or even loosing her life in the process. All she wanted was Donato’s happiness again .
*****
The following morning broke with a pale light. Luca wasted no ti. With two of his most trusted n at his side, they traveled for hours across winding, unfamiliar roads, searching for the one woman who might hold the key to Alessia’s freedom.
The sun dipped lower as they continued, the urgency in Luca’s chest growing heavier with each passing hour.
By late afternoon, the air was thick with the scent of earth and pine, and they found themselves in a village so small it seed untouched by ti.
It was there they saw her. A young girl carrying a woven basket, her dark eyes watchful.
Luca approached with care, his voice steady but commanding. "We’re looking for Lapátasodara Valká."
The girl’s eyes darted around as if the trees themselves might be listening. "You shouldn’t say that na out loud," she whispered, glancing nervously over her shoulder. "Follow . And keep quiet."
She led them through a narrow path, weaving between the shadows of ancient trees.
The journey was long, and as the day faded into dusk, the forest seed to thicken, every step echoing in silence.
Finally, she stopped before an old wooden door embedded into a hill, almost invisible to the untrained eye.
"She’s inside," the girl said, stepping inside. "She doesn’t her guest being kept waiting, co inside quickly."
Luca nodded and pushed the door open. The sll of herbs and sothing older.. Sothing arcane filled the air.
The room was dimly lit, and in the center, a figure erged from the shadows sa dark directions the young later went in.
The witch was neither young nor old, her presence both delicate and imnse.
Her eyes, sharp as flint, studied him.
"I’ve been expecting you," she said, her voice a strange lody. "The Morano blood always finds its way to . Luca Morano, the ruthless heir. She said slowly.
"Hmmmm, just as the old tales whispered, young in the day ti and old at night". Luca said with boldness. "You are the sa young lady that brought us here ".... He added.
Luca’s n stiffened, but he stepped forward. "If you know , then you know why I’m here."
She tilted her head, amused. "Your bride. Alessia. The girl whose heart is bound by another’s malice and seraphina’s spell. Only you can free her."
"How?" Luca asked.
"The solution," she said, her gaze unwavering, "is already in your hands."
"My hands?" Luca frowned. "I traveled this far for riddles?"
The witch’s lips curved into sothing between a smile and a smirk.
"Not riddles. Truth, Love is the oldest magic there is, Luca Morano. Once she loves you again truly loves you, the spell will unravel.
When she chooses you, when she cos to you willingly, the chains will break. Love wins, Luca. Love and unity are the ga changers."
"And if she doesn’t rember ?" Luca asked with so much curiosity.
"Then remind her," the witch said simply. "Not with force, not with fear, but with the truth of what you are to her. When you make love to her, when your souls et again, the spell will shatter."
Luca’s gaze hardened. "What’s your price?"
At that, the witch laughed.
It was a sharp, strange sound, and it sent a flock of birds in a trees screeching into the night sky. Luca’s n flinched, but he didn’t move.
"You cannot afford my price," she said at last, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "But when the ti cos, you will know what I want. And you will give it or rather, my price will find ."
Luca studied her, his instincts sharp, but he knew this was as much as she would reveal.
He turned on his heel. "We’re leaving."
As they stepped out, the witch called after them, a teasing lilt in her tone. "Mind staying for supper? I make a fine bowl of noodles."
Luca didn’t stop walking. "No."
*****
Far away, Bianca was moving swiftly, her expression tight with determination.
The night cloaked her, but her smile carried a dangerous light.
She clutched her bag close to her chest, her mind racing. The book was hers now or so she thought. It was the key to everything she wanted.... Luca, power, and control.
She could already see it, the choice laid before him, Alessia or his brother’s life.
"Are you divorcing Alessia permanently, Luca?" she whispered to herself, the smirk curling her lips. "Or will you trade her love for Donato’s life? Here is the Morano most wanted black book. Your brother for your bride. Let’s see how far you’ll go." She laugh after doing so fake practice of how she will approach luca and she assud a standing tall stick to be luca.
She decided it was perfect way and tone to use on Luca when she finally sees him.
Then she stopped to check her treasure, when she opened the bag to feel the weight of her victory, her breath caught. Her smile faltered.
The bag was empty.
And that was when the night truly turned cold....
Cold spine ran down Bianca’s body.
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