Chapter 2 - The Hidden Path
Cassian remained completely still. He looked at the little girl with a calm, intense, and hyper-attentive gaze, completely ignoring the luxurious, formal setting around him and the assassin closing in.
He didn't speak. He didn't move. He simply trusted the innocent, fearless child standing in front of him.
Rosa gently tugged on his massive, tattooed hand again, her tiny expression set with pure determination.
"Follow me," Rosa whispered.
Cassian's hardened, ruthless expression softened slightly. He didn't hesitate. He slowly began to stand up, staying low to the ground, letting the tiny girl in the yellow dress lead the feared mafia boss away from the pillar.
Rosa didn't lead him down the main hallway. She pulled him toward a large, ornate wooden bookshelf built seamlessly into the wall. It looked entirely decorative. But Rosa reached her small hand behind a heavy leather-bound book and pressed a hidden latch that Cassian didn't even know existed.
With a soft, heavy click, the bookshelf swung open, revealing a dark, narrow servant's passageway.
Cassian quickly scooped Rosa into his arms, slipping inside the dark tunnel and pulling the bookshelf shut just a fraction of a second before the assassin rounded the pillar.
In the pitch-black tunnel, Cassian held the little girl tightly against his chest, listening as the assassin’s footsteps echoed right past their hiding spot. They were safe.
"Rosa," Cassian breathed, his voice barely a whisper in the dark. "How did you know about this door?"
Rosa rested her head against his shoulder. "My mommy showed me. She said this is where the monster comes in."
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Cassian’s blood turned to freezing ice.
👉 Who is the "monster" that Rosa's mother was terrified of?
