Chapter 6 Streets and Secrets

The rain had finally stopped, leaving the city slick and shiny like a black mirror. Lysandra stood on the balcony of Silvano's penthouse, watching Belladonna's neon glow ripple across the wet streets below. The city was alive-full of people who didn't know how close they were to chaos.

Silvano appeared behind her, hands stuffed in his coat pockets. His crimson eyes caught the light from the street lamps, sharp and unreadable.

"You want to see the real Belladonna?" he asked, voice low.

Lysandra didn't hesitate. "Yeah."

They took the elevator down, then stepped outside into the cold night air. The streets were a mix of shadows and flashing signs-clubs pulsing with music, late-night markets hawking everything from black-market tech to enchanted trinkets. The city felt like it was breathing, each corner hiding a secret or a threat.

Silvano led her down a narrow alley, past graffiti-covered walls and piles of discarded crates. "Most people don't get to see this side. The city's got layers. You think the penthouse is where the power lives? Nah. The real stuff happens in places like this."

Lysandra pulled her hood up against the chill. "Looks dangerous."

Silvano smirked. "It is. But it's honest. You want to understand this city, you have to get your hands dirty."

They reached a small bar tucked between a rundown pawnshop and a neon-lit noodle stand. Inside, the air was thick with smoke and laughter, the clink of glasses mixing with low conversations.

Silvano nodded at the bartender-a stocky man with a scar running down one cheek. "Marco," he said. "He's been with us since before I was born."

Marco gave Lysandra a quick once-over before pouring two shots of something dark and fiery. "You're with Silvano? Better watch your step, seer."

Lysandra raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She downed the shot-burning but good.

As the night wore on, she listened. Stories of recent fae sightings creeping closer to the city, unexplained disappearances, and whispered threats from rival families. The magic that threaded through Belladonna was fraying at the edges, and everyone felt it.

At one point, a group of men entered the bar, eyes scanning the room like predators. Silvano's jaw tightened, but he didn't show it.

"They're from the Black Vipers," he murmured. "Not here for a friendly chat."

Lysandra's heart hammered. She wasn't just a visitor anymore-this was her life now.

Silvano stood, his presence suddenly bigger, colder. "Stay close."

The Vipers approached the bar, their leader flashing a cruel grin. "Silvano D'Amore," he said. "Thought you could hide up here forever?"

Silvano smiled back-sharp and dangerous. "I don't hide. I control."

The tension snapped as the two groups sized each other up. Lysandra stayed quiet, clutching her pendant, feeling the magic ripple beneath her skin.

When the Vipers finally backed down and left, Silvano exhaled slowly. "This city's a game of survival. You either play, or you get played."

Lysandra looked up at him, her own fire growing. "Then I'm playing."

As they walked back through the wet streets toward the tower, Lysandra realized something.

Belladonna wasn't just a city of shadows-it was where she belonged.