I gripped it, the cold metal solid and heavy in my hand.

On the metal tray, Dante’s phone vibrated once, a soft buzz against the steel.

The screen lit up, showing a new text message from an unknown number.

*The Lantern is empty. We are inside the gates.*

Dante didn’t look at the phone, his focus entirely on the space ahead.

His eyes were fixed on the heavy double doors at the end of the aisle.

The air in the stable grew cold as the ventilation system shut down completely, leaving only the stagnant chill of the night.

Outside, the wind began to howl, rattling the loose metal siding of the building.

Then, the sound of glass shattering echoed from the far end of the facility, near the tack room.

It was followed by the heavy, synchronized thud of combat boots on the concrete floor.

They were moving fast, with the quiet confidence of men who knew the layout.

“Marco,” Dante muttered under his breath, his finger resting on the trigger.

I looked at Vesper.

The horse was standing on all four legs now, his head high, his nostrils wide and silent.