Chapter 5 - Sins of the Sister
I threw myself violently over Elara to shield her from the flying glass.
The masked intruder landed heavily on the carpet, immediately raising an assault rifle.
Pure adrenaline surged through my exhausted veins as I desperately scanned the room for a weapon.
I grabbed the heavy brass lamp from the bedside table and hurled it perfectly at his head.
The metal struck his helmet loudly, causing him to stumble backward just long enough for me to act.
I scooped Elara into my arms and sprinted blindly toward the wooden bedroom door.
The hallway was a complete war zone of blinding smoke and flashing emergency lights.
Dante's heavily armed guards were returning fire out the massive windows toward the front gates.
"Get her to the safe room!" Dante roared from the top of the grand staircase, firing his weapon rapidly.
I nodded frantically and ran toward the east wing, just as the doctor had described earlier.
Elara buried her face tightly into my neck, crying softly against my collarbone.
I turned the sharp corner toward the library, coughing violently from the thick, acrid smoke.
Suddenly, a strong hand clamped brutally over my mouth from behind.
I tried to scream, but the attacker's grip was entirely unbreakable.
Another hand roughly yanked Elara from my desperate grasp, tossing her onto the carpet.
"Run away, Elara!" I managed to scream before the hand tightened against my jaw.
The attacker dragged me forcefully backward into a dark, hidden passageway hidden perfectly behind a bookshelf.
The heavy secret door clicked shut, plunging us into absolute darkness.
I thrashed wildly, throwing my elbows backward until I finally struck solid bone.
The man grunted in pain and released me, allowing me to stumble forward against the cold stone wall.
A harsh flashlight clicked on, blinding me temporarily with its bright beam.
When my vision finally adjusted, I found myself staring directly at a sharply dressed man who looked eerily similar to Dante.
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It was his younger brother, Marcus.
"You really messed up my brilliant plan, Chloe," Marcus sneered, aiming a revolver directly at my chest.
