Lucian’s POV

Mira stood there, her eyes wide, scanning Selene’s bruised face and my bloodied shoulder.

“Who is this?” she finally demanded tightly. “And why do you have her pressed to your chest?”

Seriously? She was still pretending even now?

She had clearly heard me declare that I was going after Selene, who was Maelis. There's no way she missed that when she had been standing right here then. I knew she was playing a game, trying to assert her position in front of any passing staff.

But maybe it was for the best she asked anyway. I didn't bring Selene here to hide, and I didn't plan on keeping...