Lucian’s POV

The sky outside the tall glass windows had already begun to fade into a deep purple color. There were streaks of burnt orange and faint trails of gray smoke scattered across the clouds like a painting slowly being erased. The city below sparkled with lights, but I didn’t pay attention to any of it. The world was still moving, still alive, but for me, it felt like everything had paused.

I could feel her presence behind me. She hadn’t said a word yet, but I could sense every inch of her silence. It wasn’t cold or distant. It was warm, alive, trembling with fear and pain. Her presence...