LUCIEN’S POV

My ears rang. My chest felt tight, like someone had wrapped iron bands around my ribs and was slowly cranking them tighter.

I didn’t even hear what Maximus said to the doctor. I just stood there, frozen, staring at that envelope like it was a live grenade with the pin half-pulled. My hands started shaking before I even realized it. Small tremors at first, then worse, until I could barely keep my arms crossed.

I don’t remember moving to the couch. One second I was standing by the desk, the next I was sinking down onto the soft leather, elbows on my knees, staring at the floor. The...