-LILIAN-
The door opened without a sound, a subtle shift in the air, but the heavy presence that immediately filled the room was unmistakable. I didn't need to open my eyes to know it was him. The deep, earthy scent, uniquely his, mixed with the faint tang of ozone that always seemed to cling to him, permeated the chamber. It was a scent that both repelled and drew me in, a constant reminder of the dangerous being who now controlled my fate. The sudden, palpable tension that settled over the healers, their hushed movements becoming even more hushed, confirmed his arrival.
"Leave us," Alexander commanded, his voice a low, gravelly murmur that seemed to vibrate through the very floorboards. The healers, quiet as mice, bustled out with an almost frantic efficiency, their footsteps fading q
