LUCIEN’S POV
I could feel my consciousness returning as I was roused from my slumber. I woke up with my cheeks pressed against a rough surface, and the taste of wine still lingering on my tongue. For a few seconds, I hadn’t grasped where I was, but it was coming back to me in fragments.
My neck ached, and my back felt stiff from being bent over for a long period of time. My eyes were unfocused, but I could see the scattered papers underneath me. Reports, maps, documents and whatnot. There were a few half-written letters I hadn’t finished either. There was a bit of ink smudged on a document. My hands must’ve knocked it over.
I finally realized where I was. I was in my office, at my desk.
A harsh knock came on the door, and it was loud enough that it rang in my ears. I jolted back, lift
