Darian squeezed the paper with one hand and began to exhale rapidly. He used the other hand to rake through his hair. He looked at the paper again in anger. Lucius knew he was the last golden eagle. But how? Was Lucius there in the royal city’s central palace when his strange powers had acted out? That was the only way Lucius would have been able to recognize him.
At that moment, he heard a knock on the door. Noel’s voice came from outside, “Darian, why are you in this room? Did another gift just arrive for you? You are really popular.”
Darian stilled his nerves. He placed the paper under one of his sleeves and he walked towards the door to open it. He opened the door, determined to show nothing through his face. “It is no big deal. A servant came to drop some trash.”
“Trash…” Noel plac
