I carried Naomi meter by meter until we made it back to the workshop. It was 11 p.m., and by that time, the place was already closed. I knocked on the door and shouted several times, hoping someone would answer.
"Who's making all this racket at my door at this hour?!"
Valentina opened the door with a grumpy look, but she quickly realized how serious the situation was. She cleaned Naomi up, gave her some painkillers, and we laid her down to rest.
Behind the workshop, there was an improvised house—I assumed it was where Valentina lived. We left the bedroom, and she grabbed me by the sleeve, leading me to the living room. The couch looked worn out, and the TV antenna kept glitching with static.
"What happened out there?!"
"We found Zeki, but the Hunters showed up and... I didn't know what to do. They threw smoke grenades, and she had just come out of a fight."
Valentina sighed and tried to lower her voice.
"Do you think there was anything you could've done to stop it?"
"I don't know how to fight, and I don't have powers like you guys. I can help with ideas, but I'm no genius. For some reason, I always come out unharmed while the people around me suffer... Zeki, Naomi, and... my family..."
I looked down and clenched my fists, trying not to cry. Maybe I'm just a spectator in this war. A spectator who never bleeds but always watches the ones he loves fall.
"When I was your age, I felt like a burden too. My mother was addicted to gambling and barely cared about her own life. She spent most of her time playing blackjack or drinking whiskey. One day, she got involved with a pale and charming Nana—a real vampire. The result of that relationship? Two troubled kids. Valentina and Jack Hogberg."
She sat beside me on the couch and continued.
"Our father never came back, and our mother hated us. Since forever, my brother and I had to survive on our own, hiding from the world and with no one to explain our powers. My brother made money by stealing or gambling."
"You didn't go to school?"
"We couldn't read or write. Everything we learned came from the streets. It was always just the two of us, until..."
Her expression grew distant, and her eyes seemed to dim.
"A man discovered our powers. He called himself Van Damme and owned a circus. He made us perform there for the rest of our childhood."
"What was your power?"
"Bloody Bet. The riskier the wager, the stronger and more fitting our power would become. All we needed was the blood of two gamblers. At the circus, we were constantly forced to bet against each other—making dangerous jumps, drinking poisonous substances, setting ourselves on fire. And even then, my brother kept sacrificing himself, losing most of the bets."
"Your brother must've been really strong, huh?"
"He was my greatest role model."
"How did you two get separated?"
"The punishments for losing bets started making him sick. He was thin, weak, and no longer able to perform. But since we were the stars of the circus, Van Damme kept forcing us to work. That's when your grandmother found us. After one of our shows, she handed us a note that said: 'I know what you are. Just follow what I say, and I'll get you out of here.'"
I had forgotten that Valentina was one of my grandmother's first missions as a priestess.
"She kept coming back every week, no matter where we were. Over time, we planned our escape. The idea was to wait until the circus performed in Salt Lake City and then head straight to Havenmere. My relationship with my brother wasn't great—he kept arguing with me, insisting on sacrificing himself for me. And for the first time in my life, I felt like I was trying to do something for him. We fought constantly, but at least it felt like everything was about to end."
Valentina stood up, visibly excited as she spoke.
"Our biggest challenge was escaping without being noticed. To the public, we were just brilliant magicians, and the only one who knew the truth was Van Damme. So what was our plan? Get him arrested for everything he did to us. We spent months gathering evidence of abuse—against us and others in the circus—and sent it all to Mr. Firtz. Everything was going to work out, but..."
"But?"
She sat down again and clenched her fists.
"We had one last performance: crossing a tightrope from one end of the circus to the other. It might sound dangerous, but it was actually one of our least risky acts. All we had to do was wait for Mr. Firtz to arrive with the police. But suddenly, everything caught fire. People were panicking, and we were ten meters above the ground. We tried to return to the platforms, but the floor was covered in flames, and the circus tent was collapsing. Our only way out was to use our powers—a simple bet to get us out of there."
"To escape a fire ten meters up, the bet would have to be..."
"Whoever stayed up there the longest would win the bet. After saying that, my brother smiled at me and said I was stronger than I thought. Those were the last words I ever heard from him. He jumped, and instantly, a bubble of water formed around me, shielding me from the flames. It wasn't just water—it was his final promise. His final bet. When the fire was over, all that remained were ashes and a girl no one could explain how had survived. His body was never found. Neither was Van Damme's."
For a moment, I ignored all the sadness I felt and turned to Valentina.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know..."
"No need to apologize. I know he's alive somewhere, and one day, I'll find him. By the way, your grandmother was an excellent mentor to me. She helped me become who I am."
Her story really grounded me again. Before thinking about my own shortcomings, I needed to focus on rescuing Zeki.
We heard slow footsteps approaching the room. It was Naomi, still breathing heavily and leaning against the walls.
"We need to call the rest of the team."
Her voice was weak and slow.
Valentina rushed to support her.
"You're in no condition."
"We don't know what they might be doing to him."
"But you—"
"I can't fail! You know that better than anyone."
Naomi hugged her and collapsed into her arms. I wasn't sure if she was crying, but her voice suggested she was. Just like me, it seemed she was weighed down by guilt over what happened at the cemetery.
"Calm down. First, we need to find out where they're hiding."
Dinner will be served. Don't be late. That's what Professor Grimm said at the cemetery. He wouldn't say that for nothing—it sounded like an invitation. After all, they want us. But where could it be...?
This is something I have to do alone. I can't rely on her for everything.
For the first time in a long while, I'm making a decision like this. I'll roam Los Angeles on my own to unravel Professor Grimm's riddle.