Shelby Manor – Early Morning
The silence of the manor was suffocating.
James sat in the study, the window cracked to let in the cool morning air. His mind buzzed, like it had been filled with too much electricity, unable to settle. He'd barely slept, haunted by fragmented dreams—visions of his mother, of Tatiana, of Velakar's dark laughter.
And the ancient prophecy—the one Tatiana had mentioned.
He could still hear her voice in his head, low and tempting:
"You are the key, James. The flame will either burn the world or give it light. But it will be your choice."
But was it? Was this something he could choose? Or was it already too late?
A knock at the door broke his thoughts.
"Come in."
Arthur entered, looking worse than usual. Bloodshot eyes, unshaven. He'd been drinking heavily the night before. But there was something else in his gaze—something beneath the surface.
"Tommy wants to talk," Arthur said, throwing a glance at James. "But before that... we need to talk."
James stood slowly, studying his older brother. "What is it?"
Arthur stepped closer, voice low. "I know you've been different since Campbell, but this thing... with Tatiana..."
James's eyes narrowed. "What about her?"
"I don't know, James," Arthur said, his voice shaking slightly. "But there's something in her. I've seen it. We both have. You're not the only one who's been touched by... darkness. And I'm not sure she's who she says she is."
The words stung more than James wanted to admit. Tatiana had a way of getting under his skin, but Arthur's suspicion hit too close to something he had been trying to avoid—Tatiana wasn't just a lover; she was a danger.
"I'll talk to Tommy," James muttered.
But his brother wasn't finished. "One more thing. I've seen you burning in your sleep, James. This isn't just some curse. It's in your blood. I don't know what your mother did, but I'm telling you—don't let her get too close."
The Prophecy Revealed
James found Tommy in the war room, a bottle of whiskey sitting on the table. The day's work was already starting, but Tommy was distracted. His eyes were sharp, as usual, but his jaw was tense.
"I know you're worried about Tatiana,"
Tommy said before James could speak. "And you're right to be."
James raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Tommy slid a set of papers across the table, old, yellowed with age.
"That's what I mean." He tapped the stack with his finger. "This was your mother's. She kept it hidden for years. I've been trying to decode it with Polly."
James picked up the papers, feeling a chill crawl up his spine as he scanned the faded ink. It was written in a language he didn't recognize, filled with symbols and runes.
"What is this?"
"A prophecy," Tommy said, eyes darkening. "It's about your bloodline. Your mother's people—they weren't just gypsies. They were something more. This prophecy speaks of a man born of fire and shadow, a king who will either destroy or save the world. The flame is both a gift and a curse, but the key to controlling it is lost."
James felt the weight of Tommy's words like a hammer on his chest.
"What happened to the key?" James asked, his voice low.
Tommy's gaze hardened. "That's the part I'm trying to figure out. But your mother, James... she didn't just leave you with a legacy of power. She left you with a burden. And the more we dig, the more dangerous it becomes."
The Economic League's Move
James tried to push the prophecy from his mind, but it lingered. He couldn't shake the feeling that his life was no longer in his hands.
It didn't help that the Economic League had stepped up their efforts. Their presence in London was becoming more visible, and the shadow they cast over the Shelbys grew darker by the day.
Tommy had just returned from another meeting with the League's representatives—a smooth-talking man named Friedrich Mallory, who played the part of the charming businessman, but who radiated an unsettling aura of control.
"They want to control the docks," Tommy said, rubbing his temples. "But they also want control over you, James."
James tensed. "Why me?"
Tommy met his eyes. "Because of what's inside you. They know it. And they want to use it."
James clenched his fists. "I won't be anyone's puppet."
"We know that," Tommy said, his voice hard. "But you need to be careful. This goes beyond the Peaky Blinders. These people are powerful."
The Gathering Storm
The tension between the Shelbys and the Economic League was palpable, but the true danger came from something even darker.
James couldn't stop thinking about the prophecy. The fire within him. The way Tatiana's touch seemed to fan it into something more. She claimed to want to help him control it, but James wasn't sure he could trust her.
And yet… there was something about her that felt like home. Her power. Her mystery. She understood him in a way no one else ever had.
That night, after another heated argument with Tommy about the League's intentions, James found himself back at the Russian estate. He needed answers. He needed to know what Tatiana knew.
Tatiana's Offer
She was waiting for him in the dimly lit library, dressed in black velvet, her dark eyes soft but piercing.
"I've been thinking about you," she said, her voice smooth and dangerous. "About your destiny."
James crossed the room to stand before her, his mind whirling. "And what do you think my destiny is?"
She smiled—a knowing, secretive smile. "You are the key, James. But what you don't realize is that the fire inside you is not just yours. It is the world's. The gods gave it to your ancestors to hold, but it was always meant to be used. Burn everything down or light the way. It's the same choice. Your choice."
Her words burned through him, but he couldn't speak. The weight of it all was too much.
Tatiana stepped closer, lifting her fingers to his cheek. "I want to help you. But to truly control it, you must embrace all of it. The darkness. The light. Everything."
James's heart raced, but his thoughts were scattered. "And what do you want in return?"
Her smile widened. "You'll find out soon enough."