Lucia stepped into her family’s den, the familiar warmth and scent of home surrounding her, but it did little to ease the tension within her chest. She had been away for days, moving through the forest, from Luke’s camp to Nicholo’s den, then back to the depths of the woods where she could find some semblance of peace. But nothing had worked, and now she was here, facing the inevitable confrontation with her parents.
Agatha and Fenris were seated by the hearth, their eyes immediately locking onto Lucia as she entered. Agatha’s expression was a mix of relief and concern, while Fenris, ever the stoic father figure, simply regarded her with a raised brow.
“Lucia,” Agatha began softly, “Where have you been? You’ve been out for days, and we’ve heard nothing from you.”
Lucia closed her eyes f
