جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

BROKEN MELUCIEN I heard the drums before anyone reached my chambers.I was lying on my bed with my arm over my eyes, trying to breathe through the pain in my chest after what my father said. The sound hit the walls hard and sharp.Punishment drums.I pushed myself up. My leg ached, but I stood anyway. A guard ran to my door and knocked fast.“My prince! Captain Rolkan has called a public gathering! He says it is for Bren!”My jaw clenched. I felt heat rise in my blood.“What happened?”“He says your actions yesterday were wrong,” the guard said. “He wants the pack to see Bren and—”I did not let him finish. I grabbed my coat and left the room, ignoring the throb in my leg.I stormed outside, letting the drums guide me. I passed guards, servants, and warriors who bowed but looked confused. I didn’t slow down for any of them.I only stopped when I reached the clearing and saw the people gathering. I saw Bren standing up there.I saw Darius walk forward and apologize in front of everyo

THE FEARED WOLFLUCIEN I could not stay in my room anymore. My chest felt tight. My hands were shaking. And the anger inside me would not calm down no matter how much I breathed. I kept hearing their voices in my head. Weak. Limping. Useless.You cannot protect anyone. Your brother is ready. You are not.I stood up from the bed, opened my door and stepped into the hallway. My leg hurt with every step, but the pain only made me walk faster. The guards stared at me as I passed, but no one dared to speak. I pushed past them and headed to the west wing.Darius’s room.My heartbeat grew louder with every step. I reached the door, grabbed the handle, and pushed it open without knocking.Darius was inside, polishing his sword, looking calm and proud as always. He looked up at me, annoyed.“What do you want now?”I walked in and shut the door behind me. “I want to talk.”Darius laughed. “About what? How Father embarrassed you? Or how you embarrassed yourself?”My jaw tightened. “Why did you

WRONG DECISIONLucien I did not plan to leave the castle that morning.It just happened.I woke up with my chest heavy and my thoughts tangled. The walls of my chamber felt too close, like they were pressing in on me. Every sound made me tense. I knew if I stayed there any longer, I would lose my mind.So I dressed slowly, ignoring the pain in my leg, and walked out.I did not take guards. I did not tell anyone where I was going. I did not want to be stopped.I found myself standing in front of Marge’s house before I even realized where my feet had taken me.The door opened before I knocked.Selena stood there, holding a cloth in her hands. She froze when she saw me.“My prince?” she whispered.“Yes,” I said. “Good morning.”She bowed quickly, almost tripping over herself. “Please forgive the state of the house.”“I am not here for that,” I replied. “Is Erwin inside?”Her eyes lit up. “Yes. He is.”She stepped aside to let me in. The house smelled clean and warm. Selena followed behi

The ReturnLucienI walked ahead of her as we crossed into Nightveil territory, my steps were slow because of my leg and because of the weight sitting on my chest. The gates rose before us, tall and dark, and the guards straightened when they saw me. Their eyes shifted to the woman behind me and I felt every stare.She stayed close, with her hands folded in front of her. Her steps were careful. She looked like someone who expected to be chased away at any moment.“Stay close,” I told her without turning. “Do not speak unless spoken to.”“Yes, my lord,” she said softly.Her voice made me pause for half a breath. I hated that and so I moved again.The road into the castle was quiet. There was no music. No cheers. Only the sound of hooves from the guards behind us and the crunch of gravel underfoot. This was not how a bride should be brought home. I knew that. She knew it too.I told myself that this was not a bride. And this was only a shield.I glanced at her from the corner of my eye.

THE COMMANDLucienAwareness returned slowly, not all at once. My breath came first. It felt wrong. Too tight and too heavy. One of my hand was already pressed against my chest before I realized I was awake. My fingers dug into the fabric as if holding myself together.The room was quiet. There were no servants and no guards. Just the sound of my breathing and the pounding inside my chest.A slow breath followed. Then another.“This is stress,” I whispered.The words did not calm me, but I said them anyway. Wedding preparations had swallowed the castle. My father had not given me a moment to think. Anyone would feel pressure like this.Sitting up took effort. The pain in my leg followed immediately, sharp enough to remind me not to rush. I reached for my cane and stood slowly, waiting until the shaking passed.By the time I finished washing and dressing, the pain in my chest had dulled. It was still there, but quieter. I told myself that was proof it meant nothing.The hallway outside