~Isabella’s POV

I watched as Lucian walked out of the room, his powerful strides full of purpose as he headed to meet with the council elders. He paused at the door, turning back to give me one last reassuring look. “I’ll be back soon,” he said softly. I nodded, forcing a small smile, but as the door closed behind him, the weight of everything that had happened came crashing down on me.

I sat back on the bed, my heart heavy with conflicting emotions. The image of my adoptive parents being exiled was fresh in my mind. As much as I knew they deserved their punishment for what they had...