~ Lucian’s POV

The forest beyond the palace loomed dark and dense, a maze of shadows and rustling leaves. It was known to be a rogue hideout, a place where outcasts and enemies hid away from the main territories. I sped off, the cold wind biting at my face and ruffling my hair. The roar of the engine was like a pulse, matching the thumping in my chest.

When I reached the forest’s edge, I killed the engine and dismounted, my boots crunching against the gravel. The silence was immediate and pressing, broken only by the distant hoot of an owl. My senses sharpened as I moved into the woods,...