The entire room shook.
Books crashed from shelves.
The chandelier swayed violently overhead.
And behind the fireplace…
The hidden chamber slowly opened.
Silver light poured out.
Soft.
Ancient.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Because somehow…
Everyone knew.
This was what they had all been searching for.
⸻
Julian smiled.
At last.
After all these years.
“Open it.”
His voice was almost reverent.
Lucien, despite being wounded, immediately pulled me behind him.
“Stay back.”
“Lucien, you’re bleeding!”
“I’m fine.”
He was absolutely not fine.
Blood soaked through his shirt.
Yet he still positioned himself between me and danger.
My heart ached.
Even now…
He was protecting me.
⸻
Serena slowly moved beside me.
For the first time in our lives…
We
