Chapter 34 - A Drive 

The car hummed softly as it cut through the quiet, winding roads. The early morning sunlight danced across the sleek hood of the vehicle. 

It glinted like liquid gold as they sped past rolling fields and sparse woodlands. Ayra glanced out the passenger window, the world beyond passing by in a blur. She felt oddly relaxed.

Lucian was focused, his hands steady on the wheel. He hadn’t said much since they left the safehouse, which wasn’t unusual for him, and it wasn’t like it was uncomfortable either. 

Lucian had this way of making silence seem less awkward and more deliberate. Like it wasn’t just an absence of words but a space to breathe.

Ayra wasn't sure how that worked or why those words popped into her head either. 

She stole a glance at him, taking in his sharp profile. His jaw was set, his expression unreadable, but there was a calmness to him that she hadn’t noticed before.  

He looked... almost at peace.

“Do you ever talk while you drive, or is this some kind of meditative thing for you?” Ayra asked, breaking the silence.

Lucian’s lips twitched, a faint smile threatening to surface. Ayra had not a single clue why he was tempted to smile. 

“Depends on the company,” the man replied. 

Ayra raised an eyebrow. “And what does that say about me?”

He glanced at her briefly.

"I thought you would rather enjoy the view outside your window."

Ayra turned his words over in her mind. 

He was right. She did enjoy early morning drives through the mountains. Usually. 

Right now, she had to admit to herself that she found him more fascinating than the scenery outside. 

The morning passed in a pleasant rhythm of soft conversation and stretches of silence. Lucian was a surprisingly good listener.

The miles rolled by, a rhythm of light chatter and stretches of easy quiet. Ayra found herself surprised. 

Lucian wasn’t just tolerable; he was actually kind of funny. 

His humor was dry, sneaky, the kind that crept up on you, and before you knew it, you were smiling like an idiot. Or a fool. Or both. 

They stopped at a tiny roadside café around mid-morning. It was one of those unassuming places with worn wooden tables and the smell of fresh coffee in the air. 

Lucian got out without a word, returning moments later with two steaming cups and a bag of pastries.

“Coffee and carbs. The ultimate road trip combo,” he said lightly, handing her a cup.

“I’m not hungry,” Ayra replied automatically, though her stomach betrayed her with a growl. He pulled a croissant from the bag, warm and buttery, and placed it in her hand like he’d known she’d cave. 

Well, she did. 

She bit into it, pretending it wasn’t the best thing she’d eaten in days.

“You’re full of surprises, you know that?” she said, her voice muffled by pastry.

Lucian arched an eyebrow. “How so?”

“For one, one, I didn’t peg you as the type to enjoy leisurely drives.”

“Perhaps you don’t know me as well as you think,” he replied. His tone was casual but carried just enough weight to make her pause.

She didn’t respond in the end, opting instead to take another bite from her pastry. There was a lot she didn’t know about Lucian. A lot she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

And, frankly, she did not quite care to know. 

Every princess had her knight. She had hers, and it was not Lucian. 

.....

By the time they left the sheer mountains and hit the open countryside, the city had faded into a distant memory. Rolling plains stretched out in every direction, and the air through her cracked window smelled crisp and clean. 

It wasn’t until now that Ayra realized how heavy the last few weeks had been.

“This doesn’t feel like running anymore,” she said quietly, almost to herself.

“That’s because it’s not," Lucian said. 

“Then what is it?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he slowed the car slightly as they approached a bend, the tires gripping the asphalt effortlessly. 

“Call it a detour,” he said in the end.

“A detour to where?”

His lips curved into a faint, maddeningly mysterious smile. “You’ll see.”

By the time the sun began its climb toward the zenith, painting the sky with soft hues of blue and gold, Ayra found herself feeling something she hadn’t felt in days.

For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn’t feel like a hunted animal. The world wasn’t closing in on her.

The chase, the fear, the constant pressure, the muted anxiety - they all seemed like a distant memory.

Lucian turned onto a narrow road lined with trees so tall their branches wove together above, creating a canopy of shifting light and shadow and Ayra leaned out slightly, letting the cool breeze hit her face.

“This place... it’s beautiful,” she murmured.

He didn’t say anything, but the slight tilt of his head was acknowledgment enough.

She studied him again. He had softened dramatically since the first time they'd met. He didn’t look like the cold, untouchable figure she’d first met. 

For a fleeting moment, Ayra entertained the thought that he'd fallen for her or something but quickly squashed it. 

Her life was no third rate movie, and she doubted she looked any better than the dozens of women he no doubt rubbed shoulders with in his capacity as the Director. 

Perhaps he was scheming something. 

She glanced away. 

“You’re different today,” she said suddenly.

“Different how?” His tone was curious, not defensive.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Less... intimidating, perhaps.”

Lucian chuckled, and in lieu of a reply, nodded. 

As the afternoon wore on, Ayra began to recognize the scenery.

The realization hit her like a slow, creeping fog. The landmarks, the roads. They weren’t random. Not to mention increasingly familiar. Her chest tightened.

“Wait a second,” she said, sitting up straighter. “Are we...?”

Lucian nodded, his expression calm. “Taking you home.”

Ayra stared at him, her brow furrowing. “Why? I thought we were supposed to be lying low.”

"You’ll be safer at home,” Lucian said simply. "And no, there is no need to lie low. I'd get those after you straightened out in a few hours."

She frowned, her thoughts swirling. The idea of going back to her house - of returning to the place she had been so desperate to leave - filled her with an undercurrent of apprehension.

She could face her father - he was not the problem. 

Ayra's problem was Lisbeth. Her sister was an asshole on the best of days and she did not want to find out what she morphed into on bad days. 

“Alright,” she said in the end. "Alright."

Lucian HAD caught her after all, and striking out on her own again was rather dangerous. Someone was still after her. 

Her mind went back to her mother's journal. 

'Ayra is never truly safe,' she had written. 

It was concerning. 

When they finally pulled up to her house, Ayra felt an unexpected wave of emotion. The sight of the familiar brick façade, the neatly trimmed hedges, the flower pots on the porch - it all felt a bit surreal after everything that had happened.

Lucian parked the car and turned off the engine, the sudden silence almost deafening. He didn’t move to get out, instead leaning back slightly and glancing at her.

“You’ll be fine,” he said softly. 

She wasn’t sure if she believed him, but she nodded anyway. Then she made to open the door and paused.  

“Thanks,” she said.

“For what?”

“For...” She hesitated. “...not being a total jerk, I guess.”

He nodded at her, a quaint little smile on his lips. 

Ayra stepped out of the car, the weight of everything pressing down on her as she walked toward the front door. She turned back, one last question lingering on her lips.

“Will I see you again?”

Lucian’s gaze locked with hers, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.

"Almost certainly," he said. 

“Go ahead. I’ll wait until you’re inside.”

She glanced back at him once more before heading toward the front door.

Inside, the house felt strangely empty despite its familiarity. 

Outside, Lucian remained in the car, watching the house for a few moments longer than necessary. His fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel, his expression ponderous.

Finally, he started the engine, the soft purr breaking the silence. As he pulled away, his thoughts lingered on Ayra. Despite his cool dismissal of her, a part of him wished he didn’t have to leave.

But for now, it was necessary. He had other matters to attend to and he couldn’t afford to let his emotions cloud his judgment.