Lucian’s POV
The heavy bronze bells of the northern tower shattered the silence of the morning, their metallic tolls vibrating through the stone floorboards beneath my boots. Every toll rang in my ears, rooting me to the ground.
Three sharp strikes.
“Riders returning!” a voice bellowed from the courtyard below. The announcement echoed through the fortress halls. Servants stirred. Boots thundered against stone. Somewhere in the courtyard, horses whinnied in protest.
I stood by the arched window of my study, one hand resting against the cold stone frame. The freezing wind brushed against my face, carrying the scent of damp earth and horses.
Vance was back. My Gamma had returned from the Lycan King’s court a week earlier than expected.
I knew it the moment I heard the horses crossing t
