Chapter 49
Elara’s POV
The corridors of the fortress stretched endlessly, dimly lit by sconces that flickered with shadows. My footsteps echoed softly, though my pulse roared louder than any sound around me.
I should have gone to my chambers. I should have rested after the chaos of the council. Yet my body betrayed me, carrying me down unfamiliar turns, deeper into the maze of stone and silence.
Every step pulled me further from sense. Every breath carried his scent—dark smoke and steel—that clung to the air even in his absence.
I told myself I wasn’t following him. That I needed air, that my mind needed space. But my heart knew better.
When I reached the balcony overlooking the training yard, I stopped short.
Lucien stood there, a lone shadow against the moonlight. His cloak was di
