Chapter 13 – The Awakening
Florence, Present Day
Sofia awoke gasping, the scent of burning wood and lavender heavy in the air. Her heart hammered—not from nightmare, but from a vivid memory that wasn't hers.
She saw the chapel, the flicker of candlelight, Beatrice's fierce vow echoing in her mind.
Across the room, Marco stirred, eyes blinking open.
"We're not alone in this," he said softly, voice thick with something between fear and hope. "Last night… I dreamt of a hand reaching for me. Yours."
Sofia sat up, breathless. "Me too. The past—it's trying to tell us something. To warn us."
Together, they rose and moved toward the villa's ancient window. Moonlight spilled over the garden, casting long shadows that seemed to shift and breathe.
In that moment, the veil thinned.
The past was no longer a story.
It was a living thing.