Chapter 10 THE WARNING IN VEIL AND SMOKE

The morning broke slow and heavy, weighed down by thick clouds and a hush over the Torres estate that felt unnatural. Catalina sat on the edge of her bed, hand pressed lightly against her stomach as dull aches whispered warnings. Her body was shifting, sending messages she wasn't ready to interpret yet.

Her mind, however, was somewhere else – looping through blurred images of Gabriel's last smile, the strange hollowness of the house, and the silence of the woman who had once been her silent helper. A knock came at the main entrance just after breakfast. It was sharp but not aggressive, and the guards hesitated before opening.

Sister Camilla entered wrapped in her dark veil, hands folded neatly before her, rosary beads clicking with every step. She looked like a vision pulled straight from a darker century. Lucien met her at the bottom of the staircase. "Sister," he said, his tone cautious but polite. "You weren't expected." "I wasn't invited either," she replied. "But I had a dream." His gaze tightened. "A dream worth traveling across provinces?" Her eyes narrowed slightly, unreadable. "One that might change everything." He stepped aside, waving the guards off. "Then let's not waste it."

In the sitting room, Catalina was already seated by the fireplace when Sister Camilla entered. Lucien remained standing by the mantle, arms crossed, every line of him radiating tension. The flames snapped quietly between them. Sister Camilla didn't sit right away. She walked to the window first, looking out over the distant chapel spires and the fading flowers in the inner courtyard. "The veil between what is and what was is growing thin," she said softly. Catalina tilted her head. "You mean the spiritual veil?" Camilla finally turned to face them. "I saw a chapel drowning in ash. A boy crying in silence. A man-not a spirit-pacing its corridors, his hands bruised, his voice torn. It was Miguel." Catalina's stomach dropped. Lucien's brow furrowed. "You're saying Miguel Cruz is alive?" Camilla didn't flinch. "I don't speak of certainty, only of what's shown to me. He was in chains. There was blood. But he was breathing." "And Gabriel?" Catalina asked, voice almost cracking. "The boy was there too. Mute as always. But in the dream, he reached for fire. And behind him... something ancient followed." Lucien exhaled hard. "Enough riddles. What are you warning us about?" Camilla met his eyes. "If Catalina moves too quickly-if she seeks what's hidden without care-someone else will be lost in her place." Catalina blinked. "You mean I'll bring death to someone else?" Camilla gave no answer. Instead, she looked toward the stairs. "Your child grows restless. The spirit world is aware of your bloodline. You are not hidden anymore."

The rest of the day unraveled like a taut string. Catalina barely ate. She sat in her room reading the old diary pages Isa had decrypted last week – notes her father had written before disappearing. Nothing made sense. Every detail, every line, felt like a message written in a code only ghosts understood. That afternoon, Isa arrived with backup drives, two bags of food, and her signature sharp energy. Her presence brought Catalina some breath. They sat in the lower lounge, doors open to the garden breeze. "I want to check on Gabriel," Catalina said after a long pause. Isa nodded, closing her laptop. "Let's go." They took the east corridor down to the garden paths. But as they arrived at the usual spot where Gabriel played, something was off. The bench was empty. The butterflies were gone. The nurse who always sat near him, the quiet woman who once called the doctor when Catalina fainted – missing. "This doesn't feel right," Catalina whispered. Isa frowned. "Maybe they went to chapel. Or the outer yard." They checked both. Nothing. And worse – no footprints. No toys. No half-eaten fruit or chalk marks on the garden stones. Just a stillness that felt staged.

Back at the estate, Catalina and Isa settled into the living room. Catalina's breath was short, and her back ached from the long walks. Isa poured her tea, handed her a pillow, then pulled up the files they'd planned to analyze days ago. But Catalina couldn't focus. Her eyes kept darting to the window, to the door, to the cold fireplace that had yet to be lit this evening. "Something is happening," she said. Isa closed the laptop. "Then tell me what your gut says." "My gut says... he's close. But not safe. And that woman, the nurse – I never even knew her name. She was just always there, and now she's not. It's like someone pulled a thread and the whole curtain's collapsing." They sat in silence, tension thickening. Catalina finally spoke again. "I need to go back to that site. Where Miguel was held. Gabriel may be there now." "You're not cleared for that," Isa said immediately. "I can't just sit here." "You're pregnant, Catalina. You fainted last week. You've started spotting. You push your body more and you'll lose everything." Catalina flinched. "He's my father, Isa." "I know." "And Gabriel-" "I know." "You don't," Catalina snapped. "You weren't born into war. I was. And now I'm being told to sit still while men decide which part of my legacy is worth saving." The door behind them shifted. Lucien's voice cut in, low and controlled. "Is that what you think I'm doing?" Catalina froze. Isa looked up. "How long have you been listening?" "Long enough." He stepped into view. "And before you accuse me of playing god again, let's remember who risked her life sneaking into a CIA blacksite." Catalina stood, anger flashing. "Because you wouldn't let me breathe. Because I had to find him myself!" "You think I don't care about Miguel?" Lucien snapped. "I buried his memory so you wouldn't have to carry it like a cross." "You buried it because you were afraid of what you'd find!" The room trembled with silence. Isa stepped between them. "Okay. Stop. This-this isn't about winning an argument. Gabriel is missing. Miguel may still be alive. We are burning daylight while you two compare scars." Lucien turned away. Catalina pressed her fingers to her temples. "Fine," she said. "You want to keep me inside? Do it. Chain me to the bed if you have to. But the second I know where they are, I'm going." Lucien's jaw clenched. "I'm not chaining you." "Then stop pretending you can save me by caging me." He stared at her a long moment. Then walked out without another word. Catalina sat back down, chest heaving. Isa placed a hand on her shoulder. "He's scared, you know. And so are you. That's what makes this dangerous." "I don't have the luxury of fear," Catalina whispered. "Then borrow mine," Isa said, voice soft. "Because you'll need it." Outside, the wind picked up. And somewhere beyond the estate, the shadows moved again. charged, with Isa also getting involved.