SERAPHINA’S POV
Mere weeks ago, my first instinct would have been to pull away from Kieran. To spare Lucian the hurt of seeing me with the person I’d chosen instead of him.
I made no attempt to disguise the truth now.
His gaze dropped to our intertwined hands. I didn’t pull away as Kieran’s thumb stroked once across my knuckles.
Lucian's nose twitched. I knew that by now, Astrid’s perfume had worn off.
There was no mistaking what he saw. What he smelled.
Something flickered across his face.
It was not anger or shock.
It was…despondency, self-mockery.
As if he had expected this outcome all along and hated himself for hoping otherwise.
The flicker was gone in a heartbeat. His expression smoothed into his usual polished composure.
“Well,” he said lightly, as
