Lucian
I left the room and headed for the right wing. Halfway there, I ran into Darian. I told him everything—every sharp-edged truth—and without hesitation, he fell in step beside me. He wanted to be there when I confronted Martha. He said he’d try to get through to her.
I didn’t say anything at first. Just nodded. But inside, I felt something I hadn’t expected: pride.
My brother—my actual brother—had taken my side. Despite everything. Despite Mara. I knew he still cared about her, but it was different now. Mature. Detached. Like he’d finally seen past the illusion. That meant more to me than I could say. I hoped the bond we were building would last. It felt good—solid. Like something real in the chaos.
We reached Martha’s new room. The door was cracked open, and we walked in without
