Chapter 148: The Warning

Salvatore stayed crouched in front of Milo a moment longer, studying his face for any sign he was hiding real pain, but Milo only kept grinning at him.

Behind him, Teo shifted the box on his knees, watching the two of them like he was waiting for permission to use it.

But Milo assured him he didn’t need it.

Salvatore looked at the boy, annoyed.

"You should sleep in your own room," Salvatore said, looking to Teo, though there was little real force behind it.

"I want to sleep with Milo," Teo said immediately, scooting closer to the edge of the bed like he’d already decided the matter was settled.

"Milo needs rest," Salvatore said, an edge of warning creeping into his voice now.

"I will make him fall asleep faster!" Teo said, entirely undeterred, already kicking off his slippers and climbing further onto the mattress.

Salvatore opened his mouth to argue, fully intending to lift the boy up and march him back to his own room.

But Milo, still grinning, shifted over slightly to make room, patting the empty space beside him without a word.

Salvatore caught the small, teasing look Milo gave him over Teo’s head, like he knew exactly what Salvatore had been hoping for tonight.

That little bastard.

He found it far more amusing than he should have.

Salvatore sighed, defeated before he’d even properly started. "Sleep here then."

He looked at Teo. "Milo is sick, and you can’t keep him awake. You need to sleep too."

"Yes!" Teo said, nodding quickly, already burrowing under the blanket beside Milo like he’d won some great victory.

Salvatore lingered by the bed another moment, clearly displeased with how the evening had turned out, before finally reaching over and switching off the lamp.

"Sleep," he said, and left the room with a final glance back at the two of them tangled together under the covers.

Milo just grinned into the dark, feeling Teo’s small body settle warmly against his side. But once the door closed, Teo started talking a lot.

Milo couldn’t help but stay awake to answer all of his questions instead of resting.

"Sleep, Teo."

"Milo, would you forgive people who hurt you so badly?"

"Why that question? I don’t know..."

"So you won’t?"

"I don’t know, Teo." He still couldn’t forgive Nero. And he was sure the answer wasn’t important to Teo.

***

Morning came. Teo woke first, blinking at the ceiling for a moment before turning to check on Milo, still deeply asleep beside him, breathing slow and even.

Satisfied, Teo slid carefully out from under the blanket, careful not to jostle the mattress too much, and padded barefoot out of the room, bringing his slippers with him and putting them on as he walked.

He made his way to the kitchen, where the staff were already moving about preparing breakfast, and helped himself to a slice of bread before grabbing the small metal bucket kept by the back door.

His job every morning: feeding Mr. Bogli.

The mansion grounds stretched wide in the early light, past the stables where the horses were already being led out for their morning walk, past the low stone wall separating the main path from the enclosure that held the white tiger, always pacing at this hour.

Teo usually walked straight past it without a second glance, used to the sight by now.

But this morning, before he reached the tiger’s enclosure, he veered off the path entirely, toward a stretch of thick, overgrown vines that hung across an old section of fence like a curtain.

He glanced around first, checking that none of the guards were nearby, that no one from the kitchen had wandered out to watch him.

Once satisfied he was alone, he set the bucket down carefully on the grass and slipped underneath the vines.

It clearly wasn’t his first time doing this. On the other side, a narrow stretch of old pavement led off toward the tree line, and farther still, toward the road that eventually connected to the main highway beyond the property.

A thin, ragged-looking man sat near a large stone a little way down the path, hunched over, his hood pulled up despite the warm morning.

"Felix! It’s me!" Teo whispered, hurrying toward him.

The man looked up, glancing around quickly before pulling a chocolate bar from his jacket. "Oh good. You came today."

Teo dropped down beside him, breathless with something between relief and guilt. He was always so happy to see Felix still alive, still here, even if some deep part of him knew he shouldn’t be feeling that way at all.

"I’m sorry I can’t meet you every day," Teo said, looking down at his hands.

"Don’t worry," Felix said gently, ruffling his hair before handing over the chocolate. "There are no cameras here. You’re safe."

Teo took the chocolate but didn’t unwrap it right away, turning instead to look at Felix properly, taking in how thin he’d gotten, how tired he looked.

"Can’t you run away?" he asked. "Far, far away from here? What if Salvatore finds you?"

Felix’s expression shifted, something heavier settling over his face. "Please. Help me get inside. I really need to talk to Salvatore."

Teo’s stomach dropped. "I’m afraid Salvatore might kill you."

"If that’s what I have to face," Felix said quietly, "then let it be."

"No!" Teo shook his head hard. "I will meet you every day if I need to. But I don’t want to bring you inside."

"Teo, trust me. You can do this."

Teo looked away, his chest tightening with the memory of last time, the way Felix had once convinced him to help, how it had nearly gotten Milo killed, how ashamed he’d felt afterward.

He’d promised himself, promised Salvatore in his own quiet way, that he would never make that mistake again.

"Please," he said, his voice cracking. "I can’t do that. I won’t put Milo in danger."

"It’s not about Milo," Felix said, leaning closer. "It’s Salvatore’s life. Everyone’s life."

"But—"

"I’ve been here three times already," Felix said. "I will not come again. Please. Take me inside."

Teo stared at the ground, confused and frightened all at once. "Why can’t you come through the gate?"

"Oh," Felix said, a bitter little laugh escaping him. "They’ll shoot me right away."

"See?" Teo’s eyes filled with tears. "What if Salvatore shoots you? No... please don’t come inside."

"Teo, I’m ready to die by his hands," Felix said, gripping his shoulder gently. "Please. I don’t have much time left to waste."

Teo’s whole body trembled, torn between fear and the desperate, pleading look in Felix’s eyes. He didn’t know what to do, didn’t know how to make the man understand just how terrified he was of repeating the same mistake.

"What am I going to do?" Teo sobbed. "I don’t know..."

"Teo, please," Felix said. "I promise he will not kill you. Trust me. It’s very important that he knows I will stand with him."

Teo’s hands shook as he wiped at his face, and after a long, agonizing moment, he finally nodded, defeated by the sheer weight of Felix’s determination.

"Can you wait here a bit?" Teo said. "I have to bring the food to Mr. Bogli first."

Felix nodded, and Teo hurried off to finish the one small piece of normal routine he had left that morning before returning to guide Felix carefully along the path, avoiding the training field entirely, slipping instead through a side door he knew the guards rarely watched too closely this early in the day.

By the time they reached the base of the main staircase, Teo was trembling so badly he could barely walk straight.

And then, as though fate itself had timed it, Salvatore appeared at the top of the stairs, descending at exactly the wrong—or maybe the right—moment.

Teo froze completely, terror flooding his small face. Before he could stammer out any kind of explanation, Felix stepped slightly in front of him.

"I asked him to bring me inside," Felix said.

Salvatore’s expression didn’t change, though something dangerous settled behind his eyes. "You really want to die?"

"I will die by your hands," Felix said steadily. "I’m ready for it. But I want to tell you something first. Give me time."

"I gave you the chance to run as far as you could," Salvatore said, descending the last few steps slowly. "And you chose to die here instead."

"Please," Felix said. "You are in danger. I’ve tried to meet you before, but Teo was too scared to bring me inside, and I couldn’t risk coming alone. I might have been killed before I ever reached you."

"What nonsense did you drag here?" Salvatore said, his voice low and flat, though he hadn’t yet called for a guard.

"Please, listen to me," Felix said, his voice cracking with urgency now. "I swear I will not ruin your life or anything else. I’ve had enough time to think about my mistake. I will not do it again. It’s about Alben. He might betray you."

Salvatore went very still.

Behind him, Teo shrank back against the wall, still shaking, watching the two men with wide, terrified eyes, waiting to see whether the morning would end in mercy or in blood.