[Scene:] The Private Medical Observatory, Thorne Estate.
1.1 Absolute Confinement
Rain lashed against the bulletproof glass of the estate. Within the first hour of her return, Eleanor was confined to the "Medical Observatory" at the highest point of the manor. On the surface, it was a luxury penthouse, but in reality, it was a cage forged from advanced supernatural-suppressing alloys.
Alistair stood before her, having changed into a dark silk shirt, unbuttoned at the collar, looking brooding and dangerous.
"Eleanor, I am giving you one last chance." Alistair leaned down, his long fingers grazing her pale cheek, his eyes devoid of warmth. "Tell me the exact location of the 'Eye of Samos.' Do not attempt to challenge my algorithm."
Eleanor sat on the edge of the bed, her hands bound by specialized shimmer-cuffs, yet she managed a faint, tragic smile.
"Tutor, the algorithm you take such pride in is useless against pure sacrifice." Eleanor looked up, meeting his gaze fearlessly. "When I sealed your imprint, I used my origin heart-blood. Unless I die, or you find that Eye, you will never again sense a single emotion within my body."
1.2 The Failure of the Algorithm
Alistair's eyes darkened instantly. He straightened up and signaled to Lydon, who stood in the shadows.
"Initiate the 'Mind-Sea Scan,'" he commanded coldly.
Lydon hesitated. "Tutor, if we force the scan, it could cause permanent damage to the young lady's brain…"
"I don't care," Alistair's voice was flat. "I want to see where she hid it."
As the machinery hummed to life, blue laser beams locked onto Eleanor's head. Alistair stared at the holographic screen, which should have displayed all of Eleanor's memories and emotional fluctuations.
However, the screen showed nothing but a deadly gray fog.
"Report, Tutor!" the technician sweated. "The scan is being intercepted! There is an ancient, neutral energy protecting her core consciousness. Our core algorithm… cannot find an entry point."
1.3 The Crack in Power
BANG!
Alistair slammed his fist onto the console, leaving a deep dent in the alloy surface.
For the first time since becoming the head of the Thorne family, he felt power slipping from his grasp. His algorithm could predict markets, control life and death, and foresee the future, yet it hit a wall before the one woman he desired to control most.
He strode to Eleanor, seizing her chin and forcing her to look up at him.
"You think this stops me?" Alistair's breathing was erratic, a sign of peak fury. "I will mobilize every resource of this family, scour every corner of the Earth. When I find that 'Eye of Samos,' I will make you realize that the price of betraying me is something you cannot afford."
1.4 The Silent Standoff
Enduring the agonizing pain in her jaw, Eleanor's voice was weak but firm. "Then go find it. But until you do, to me, you are nothing but a stranger."
Alistair's pupils contracted violently. A stranger. Those words cut deeper than any supernatural weapon.
He abruptly let go, turning to leave, his footsteps echoing coldly in the vast corridor.
"Lydon, lock down the estate," Alistair ordered without looking back. "Notify every contact in Europe. I want all documents concerning 'Sacred Forbidden Objects' and 'Samos.' I don't care about the cost; I want results within three days."
He had to admit, the current family algorithm alone could not solve the puzzle this woman had left behind. He needed to seek out older, more forbidden powers as a point of entry.
Hook: For the first time, the core algorithm fails, and Alistair's grip on Eleanor develops a fatal crack. In a mix of despair and rage, he decides to tap into the gray area between the mortal and supernatural worlds—The Baglio Family. Meanwhile, perched in her high tower, Eleanor quietly slides a tiny, blood-stained rune from her sleeve…
Author's Note:
Thank you for your continued readership and dedication to the consistent quality of this novel.