The room Viviana led him to was far nicer than anything Corin had slept in before, before leaving him alone for a while.
It wasn't overly lavish, but it carried the same refined elegance as the rest of the Virelli estate: dark wood, deep red furnishings, and a fireplace that flickered gently in the corner. The bed alone looked big enough to swallow him whole.
He still wasn't sure why they were letting him stay the night. The meeting with the patriarch had been brief, almost too smooth. No threats, no demands, just an unreadable look and a quiet nod of approval before he was dismissed.
And now he was here.
He needed air.
Stepping out onto the small balcony attached to the room, he let the cool night breeze wash over him. The city stretched beyond the estate walls, flickering with life even at this hour. Somewhere out there, his old world still existed. It pained him to think about what had happened to Ezekiel. But it felt distant.
Too distant.
A soft click behind him.
"You didn't run."
Corin glanced over his shoulder. Viviana leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. Her short black dress swayed slightly in the wind, her golden hair catching the moonlight. The pink of her eyes practically glowed in the dark.
She was, without question, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
And also, without question, the most dangerous.
"I thought about it,"
Corin had to admit. Staying right now was the best choice. There was no telling if the assassins would be waiting for him in the slums. He turned back to the view.
He could hear her humming.
"But you didn't."
He didn't answer.
A moment passed, filled only with the distant sounds of the city. Then, she stepped beside him, resting her arms on the railing.
"You have questions."
"Plenty."
She smiled, but there was something knowing in it.
"Tomorrow."
Corin exhaled. Of course. Always on her terms.
Fine. He had a question she could answer right now.
"Earlier, you called them Path Bearers and Ambassadors. What does that mean?"
Viviana arched a brow.
"Not familiar with the term?"
He shook his head.
She tilted her head slightly, watching him.
"Paths are… how should I put it? Power. Influence. Authority over something greater than oneself."
Her gloved fingers tapped the railing.
"Those men from earlier were rank three Path Bearers. It means they weren't just strong, they have bound their fate to something"
Corin frowned. "Bound to what?"
She grinned.
"Now that is a more complicated question. And one that depends on who you ask. Answering it will only leave you with more questions"
He sighed. "So, a Path Bearer is someone with power. And a Path Ambassador?"
"A middleman. A servant to a greater force. Someone who follows a path but doesn't quite own it and its powers. I mean aren't you one yourself?"
She smirked.
"You'll learn the difference soon enough."
Him a Path Ambassador? Corin didn't like the sound of that.
He turned back to the city, running her words through his mind. Chosen by something. Given power.
His thoughts drifted back to the marketplace. To the ravens. To the way his body had moved on its own.
Had something chosen him?
Viviana was still watching him. Studying him, like he was some kind of puzzle she couldn't quite solve.
"…You really don't know, do you?" she murmured.
Corin blinked. "Know what?"
Her eyes flicked to his.
"Your eyes."
A strange chill crawled up his spine.
"What about them?"
Viviana didn't answer right away. Instead, she lifted a gloved hand and, without hesitation, cupped his chin.
Corin tensed. But he didn't pull away.
She tilted his face slightly, bringing him closer into the light. Her expression was unreadable now, the playful edge softened into something more… curious.
"Black irises," she murmured. "White pupils."
His breath caught.
"What?"
She let go. "You didn't know?"
Corin stepped back, heart pounding for reasons he didn't understand. He had never really looked at his own eyes recently. Not closely. But now...
'Is that why? Why the ravens listened? Why i can move like that?'
His hands clenched into fists.
'What happened to me?'
Viviana watched his reaction with quiet amusement.
"You really are interesting, Corin,"
She was speaking in a soft voice. She looked at him before adding:
"And here I thought you were just handsome."
Corin exhaled, rubbing his face. He was too tired for this.
Viviana chuckled, stepping back toward the doorway.
"Get some rest. You'll need it."
She turned, pausing briefly before glancing at him over her shoulder.
"…And don't worry. You'll get your answers soon."
Then, she was gone.
Corin stayed on the balcony a moment longer, staring at the city below.
He had the distinct feeling that after tonight, his world would never be the same.