“Unite the guts now or stay divided as you want. Collectively, you rule. Separate, you fall. The selection is yours, my youngsters.”

“However, pricey Mars,” Rafaele asks, his eyes extensive with reverence. What prophecy do you converse of? What energy is it that The Coronary heart of Italy shall sprout forth?”

“If I had been to reply all of your burning questions, son, then what life would you lead? There are some solutions you need to search your self.”

The air round us crackles one final time, and identical to that, the cave as soon as once more turns into chilly sufficient. The ethereal realm and God Mars dissipate round us, and we discover ourselves again in actual time. I now not really feel as vividly alive as I did simply moments in the past. I now not dream, and but, that doesn’t really feel like a dream.

Rafaele and I trade glances.

“Did that simply—” I ask, clenching my fingers away from Fiero and Rafaele, the 2 halves of the Coronary heart of Italy, in every of my palms.

“Sure,” they whisper in unison.

Chapter 50

Rafaele

I stand beside Fiero, my as soon as sworn enemy now revealed to be a brother in blood. The information of our shared lineage, descendants of the God Mars himself, hangs like a dream within the air between us. I can not assist however query its truthfulness; it is all too unusual, too unattainable to grasp.

“Might or not it’s?” Fiero asks, his emerald inexperienced eyes reflecting each doubt and curiosity. “Mars, the God of battle, as our ancestor?”

As if on cue, a shiver runs down my backbone, reminding me that everybody current witnessed Mars’s look. This is not some fever dream inside a dream or a hallucination. It is actual, and the load of the reality presses down on me like a ton of bricks.

I sigh and rub my temples. Romola stands to the aspect now, with each diamonds in her fingers, ready for us to take the subsequent step. I believe again to my life and the hollowness of all of it. I used to be chasing all this glory—for what? Even whereas I did, I usually questioned what the tip purpose can be.

Maybe it was all meant to come back right down to this one second.

“Imagine it or not,” I reply ultimately, “It appears we’re certain by extra than simply the mafia now, eh? Blood is thicker than water, in spite of everything.”

Fiero smirks, rubbing the scar on his brow absentmindedly. “And but, we have been enemies for thus lengthy. It does not change in a single day, I suppose.”

“True,” I concede, occupied with the numerous confrontations we have had through the years.”However maybe it was all meant to be, all alongside, to carry us collectively after we’ve tried issues our personal manner and repeatedly failed.”

Fiero says nothing, however his mouth cracks into a mild smile.

“So, what are you to do subsequent?” Romola asks, stepping between us now and constructing room for negotiation.

I look into Fiero’s eyes, this brother of mine with barely emerald inexperienced eyes. Fiero and I trade a look, silently acknowledging the belief we’re inserting in her.

Regardless of our historical past as enemies, plainly destiny has introduced us collectively for a objective larger than ourselves – to meet Rome’s future, which is what our forefathers have sought to unravel for generations.

“Maybe,” I counsel, praying Fiero takes the white flag. “If we’re really brothers in blood, then perhaps it is time for us to behave prefer it.”

“Certainly,” Fiero nods, and for the primary time, I see one thing akin to acceptance in his expression.

A prayer enters my ideas. I hope our ancestors are watching over us at this very second as we dealer peace ultimately.

“Thanks,” Romola whispers, her voice delicate but agency as she understands the gravity of our phrases. “I will not allow you to down.”

As Romola seems to be down on the diamonds in her fingers, I watch her intently, noticing the way in which her fingers tremble just below the load of their significance.

She holds them as much as the sunshine, the flickering reflections dancing throughout their surfaces, casting a kaleidoscope of colours onto the cave partitions.

With precision, she aligns the perimeters of the 2 diamonds and gently presses them collectively. The cave appears to carry its breath because the diamonds fuse, forming the Coronary heart of Italy – essentially the most beautiful gemstone on the earth.

Fiero and I crowd round her, trying up on the diamond.

“Take a look at it,” Romola breathes, her eyes extensive with awe. “It is magnificent.”

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