LEAH
Darkness is all I feel as Lucian carries me into Queen Reyna’s office. I can’t see his face, but I know it’s him. His warmth presses against me, his heartbeat pounding steady, like he’s willing mine to match his.
I hear his voice before I feel his touch. It's soft, and low, saying words he never says in front of others. “Stay with me, Leah. I’ve got you. You’re not leaving me, not now, not ever.”
I want to answer, to reach for him, but my tongue won’t move. My body feels too heavy, like I’m sunk beneath water.
Then another voice filters through the dark, Queen Reyna. Her voice is softer than I’ve ever heard. Fragile, and almost breaking. “I should’ve found you earlier than this,” she whispers. “I should’ve been the mother you needed, not the queen who hid from you. Please… figh
