CHAPTER 8

I sift through my memories, trying to piece together the fragments of the previous day. The more I recover, the worse I feel. Images of my father surface, nestled somewhere in the depths of my mind. He was someone else, but I can't grasp who. I feel torn in two—the terrified child, lost among strangers, and the cherished daughter, adored and spoiled until his death.

Emanuele gets up to adjust something on the panel next to the door.

«No, no. Relax. You passed out and had a few nightmares.»

I press my hands to my forehead, trying to steady myself, but it’s the scent of coffee that truly brings me back to life.

He approaches the table, setting down a paper bag. «I went out to get some coffee, some pastries. I wasn’t sure what you’d like.»

The way he looks after me eases some of the tension, yet I still don’t understand why he's doing it. What if I was wrong to trust him? What a stupid thought. I’d have lost my mind already—or worse, if I were alone.

«You’re only human on the surface, that much is clear.»

He’s arranging the food but stops abruptly, as if I’d just fired a gun at him. He leaves everything where it is, and for a moment, I think his hands are trembling.

«Are you okay?»

He moves toward the window, looking outside before pressing his forehead against the glass.

«Yeah, I’m fine. Just give me a second.»

I slide off the bed, taking a step toward him, though I’m not sure if getting closer is a good idea.

«Did I say something wrong?»

He barely turns, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

«No, no. Help yourself, or everything will get cold.»

Cautiously, I settle into an armchair, taking a small sip of the warm caffelatte. I don’t know how to act, afraid that whatever I say might be taken the wrong way.

But the moment I bite into the jam-filled croissant, every negative thought vanishes. I don’t remember it tasting this sweet. In fact, everything seems more flavorful than before.

«It’s delicious, thank you. Don’t you eat?»

He shakes his head. «No. I only feed on human blood.»

«What?»

When he turns around, I come face to face with Nosferatu himself—his head elongated, ashen, his eyes glowing red, and two long, razor-sharp fangs. I scream, and my cup flies into the air. Thankfully, it’s already empty, and I manage to catch it before it shatters.

The vampire winks. «A nice wooden stake, and all your fears disappear.»

A second later, his human face returns, and he bursts into laughter. My heart races, my breath comes in frantic gasps, and I clutch my chest.

«Are you insane? I nearly had a heart attack!»

He keeps laughing, even as he folds the couch back into place.

«Come on, it was too perfect to resist.»

«Sure, what do you care if I drop dead? And anyway, vampires are supposed to be attractive.»

«Only in movies.»

I stuff another bite of croissant into my mouth, too impatient to swallow before snapping back.

«Who knows? It’s not like you’ve ever seen one.»

«I’ve seen every creature I can transform into.»

My eyes widen. «And where exactly?»

He flops onto the couch, arms stretched along the backrest.

«Other worlds.»

The more he speaks, the more my mind spins.

«You can travel between worlds?»

«Some have portals that allow it. And, anyway, when I die, I get to choose where to go.»

«Die? You’ve died?»

«Quite a few times.»

«Sorry, but… how old are you?»

He shrugs. «Not sure what you mean. I measure my age in terms of evolution.»

I touch my temple, searching for the right words.

«I mean—how many years have you lived?»

He juts out his lower lip. «No idea. I never kept track.»

«That’s insane.»

I need a few minutes to process everything, so I take the opportunity to freshen up and change. When I return, he’s cleaned up and placed a few folders on the table.

«What’s this?»

He slides one toward me. «Something you need to know.»

I lick my lips. «About me?»

«About what you did yesterday at the station. The list you erased.»

I sit down and open one of the files. A sleek, slightly futuristic symbol is printed on the cover. It resembles a stylized eye.

Wait—I’ve seen this before. It was on the control center screens. Identical, except this one has a name beneath it.

Truesight.

«What is this?»

«An American corporation. They provide scanning systems for military forces, governments, and international organizations.»

«Scanning systems… for what? Anti-terrorism?»

«That’s what they’d tell you. Keep turning the pages.»

I glance at the stacks of documents in front of me, already feeling overwhelmed. «It’ll take me forever to read all this.»

«Rule number one of your new life: don’t impose limits on yourself. It’s the only way to find out how far your abilities can reach.»

«What abilities?»

«Turn the pages,» he repeats, nodding toward the file.

I sigh and do as he says. The information floods my mind as if it had always been there. I don’t know how it’s possible—I’m not even reading in the way I was taught at school.

Turns out, Truesight is a paramilitary organization. Their scanning systems identify individuals who have undergone the Lighter.

I’m about to ask what that is, but the moment the question forms in my head, I already have the answer.

It’s an irradiation procedure that activates dormant genes in predisposed individuals. Truesight supplies scanners capable of detecting these irradiated people—and then sells the lists to whoever can afford them.

Okay. I’m officially freaking out.

«How is it possible that no one knows about this?»

«This isn’t public information. Even I had to work hard to gather it.»

The business is massive—we’re talking billions of dollars. The more I uncover, the more insane it sounds.

Forget conspiracy theories.This is real.

«What happens to the people irradiated by this Lighter?»

Emanuele hands me another dossier. «Read this.»

This time, the organization is called Sphinx, based in Pomezia, near Rome, with branches all over the world. It seems to be some kind of pharmaceutical company, and they’re the ones irradiating children with the Lighter. Officially, though, they claim to prevent genetic diseases in newborns. If I remember correctly, they ran those tests on my brother too.

«Okay, so they irradiate some children to trigger mutations… but why?»

«To create enhanced individuals for various purposes. Mostly military. In the field, they call them Velati.»

I rub my temple. «So Sphinx and Truesight are rivals. One creates mutants, the other sells systems to track them.»

«Exactly.»

I keep reading, flipping through a series of documents stamped Confidential in bold capital letters. The names are redacted, replaced with codes that seem to indicate the level of mutation caused by the irradiation. Some have a symbol that might mark them as deceased.

I let the papers slip from my fingers onto the table. «So I was irradiated too.»

«I don’t think so. That’s what makes you special. My theory is that you’re a native. Meaning your ability didn’t come from irradiation.» Emanuele gathers the documents and secures them with an elastic band.

«A native…» I murmur, turning the idea over in my mind. «So Truesight’s scanners can’t detect me.»

I’m a little proud of making the connection, though it doesn’t do me much good.

«Exactly. If you’re a native, your ability is invisible.»

It makes sense—my name wasn’t on the list I erased at the station. I’m certain of it, even though thousands of names flashed before my eyes.

I huff, disappointed. «So my gift is… reading and memorizing? I would’ve preferred invisibility.»

He smirks. «What a waste that would have been.»

«What do you mean?»

«Nothing, forget it.» He clears his throat. «Anyway, I think you can also organize information, extract rules from complex systems… who knows what else.»

I pout. «Great. I have no idea what that means… but I’ll remember it.»

He bursts out laughing, gathering the papers. «Better that way. Sometimes, words are more confusing than reality.»

My thoughts race. It feels like countless connections are forming in my mind all at once.

«That’s why I’m getting better at school… I used to be an average student at best. It all started when my father died. Or rather, when the man who claimed to be my father did.»

It hurts to say it that way, but the sooner I accept it, the better. Emanuele, however, lowers his gaze, shifting uncomfortably on the couch as if it had suddenly turned scorching hot.

«Now it’s my turn to tell you something.»

I sigh, bracing for the worst. «Please, if it’s bad, I don’t want to know.»

He doesn’t sugarcoat it. «Your father is still alive.»

I press a hand to my chest to keep my heart from leaping out.

«What?» My voice comes out low, strangled. «Why would you say that?»

«He asked me to fake his death. I was the one you saw that night,» he confesses. «I’m so sorry, Lilia.»

My lips part in shock. I can’t believe what he’s saying. I remember my father lying lifeless in front of the TV as if it were yesterday.

«Why did you do it?»

«When I arrived in this world, I saw Sphinx rise first, then Truesight after. I knew these things—this kind of thing—and I knew nothing good would come of it.»

«And?»

«I wanted to do something to dismantle the system taking shape. I spent years looking for a way. Then I learned about secret groups with the same goal.» He inhales sharply and speaks all at once. «Your father was one of them.»

«My father? A dissident? You’re joking.»

He was the most by-the-book man I’ve ever known. I would never have thought of him as a rebel.

Emanuele shrugs, as if shedding a burden. «Back then, he was just a young university student. Full of ideals and big dreams. That’s why I revealed myself for what I am and offered to help.»

He tells me my father spent years studying, and thanks to his research, he managed to get hired at Sphinx.

«I can’t believe this,» I whisper.

He sighs, defeated. «He told me he would destroy it from the inside. That I should trust him. I was naïve.»

I let out a bitter laugh. «He’s always been good at convincing people.»

Emanuele runs a hand through his hair and leans back against the couch. «I had my doubts, but he always said it wasn’t the right time. Meanwhile, he kept climbing the ranks at Sphinx.»

«And then he asked you to kill him—why?»

«I don’t know. My only task was to execute the plan, keep an eye on you, and make sure you walked into that hotel room on the set date.»

«To find the letter… and erase Truesight’s list at Termini Station,» I conclude.

«Exactly.»

I shoot him a sidelong glance. «Let me guess—you didn’t just follow orders.»

He wets his lips, choosing his words carefully before answering.

«I felt guilty for what I did to you. And… I wasn’t sure you were safe.»

«Just that? I mean… only because you were worried?»

I don’t say it with suspicion, but with genuine surprise.

He frowns. «Does that seem insignificant to you?»

«It seems like the most selfless thing one person can do for another. So rare that it’s hard to believe.»

Emanuele smiles slightly. «I swear it’s the truth. I don’t know much else about you—your father was always careful to keep secrets. Maybe I could have done more to figure out what was really going on, but like I said… I trusted him.»

«That’s why you’re different from everyone else. That’s what I meant before.»

Our eyes lock, and it feels like plunging down a roller coaster. My stomach flips, my heart leaps to my throat.

What’s happening to me?

I’ve never felt anything like this before, and the sensation is overwhelming, sweeping me away with no way to stop it.

Too much. All at once.

And yet, it feels as if there’s a hidden order to it, a path laid out before me.

Or maybe… just an invisible cage, one I can only pretend to escape.