The four of them sat together in the quiet carriage, the mood still thick from their earlier confessions. Lucas drew a slow breath, steadying himself as he guided them with his hand. "Sit closer," he told them softly. "Join hands with me. This will not only be binding, it will change all of us."
Lira, Nyx, and Selene glanced at each other, but none hesitated. They each trusted him, though in their own way. Lira's eyes shimmered with devotion, Nyx's with an eagerness for freedom and belonging, and Selene's with a stormy mixture of pride and surrender. When their fingers interlocked with his, Lucas closed his eyes.
He let his Qi stir, calling upon the spark of his Yang essence that still flowed within their meridians. He could feel it pulsing faintly in each of them, weaving through their dantians like golden threads of fire. He exhaled slowly, shaping that energy with his will. "Stay calm," he said gently, his voice low and commanding. "I will guide you through it."
