Maelis POV

The heavy a doors slammed shut behind us, muting the uproar of the Council Hall, but the noise inside my head was deafening.

Lucian didn't stop. His grip on my hand was iron-tight, pulling me down the long, empty hallway. He walked with a speed that was bordering on a run, his strides long and fueled by a chaotic mix of adrenaline and fury.

“Lucian, stop!” I gasped, stumbling slightly as my healing ribs protested the movement.

He didn't listen. He just kept dragging me, away from the cameras, away from the elders, away from the mess he had just created.

“Lucian!”

I dug my heels into the...