Now, the final battle loomed—a confrontation not only between good and evil but also between a father and a son. Mattheo was preparing to lead a group into the heart of danger...

“You need to stay here,” he says firmly, his voice low but unwavering.

“What? Why can’t you just ask me?” you challenge, stepping closer, your arms crossed tightly over your chest.

“I’m not asking,” he says, his jaw clenching. “I’ll come and get you when this is all over.”

“No,” you snap, shaking your head.

He exhales sharply, his frustration evident. “Please, just listen—”

“No,” you interrupt. “Not unless you tell me why.”

His shoulders sag as he finally looks at you, the hardness in his expression softening just slightly. “Because I need you to be safe,” he says, the words almost breaking as they leave him.

“I don’t want to be safe,” you argue, your voice rising with emotion. “I want to be with you and the others—unsafe, or whatever it takes.”

“I can’t let that happen,” he says, his tone final, though there’s a trace of pain buried within.

“Mattheo… this isn’t making any sense,” you say, your frustration bubbling over.

He hesitates, as if struggling to find the right words. Finally, he breathes out, “My father took Astoria because he wants to kill the woman I love.”

“I know,” you whisper, the weight of the situation sinking in.

His gaze locks with yours, intense and raw. “So he took the wrong woman,” he says, his voice trembling. “I love you. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” you whisper back, barely audible, your heart pounding.

He stares at you for a moment longer, his expression conflicted, as if he wants to say more. But instead, he turns and walks away, his footsteps heavy as he heads toward the battle that awaits.