Lucien arrived home near one past midnight. Instead of heading straight to his room, he paused at Leia's door and gently pushed it open. The sight brought a small comfort, Leia was fast asleep, nestled between Kieran and Ronan, who lay protectively on either side of her.
Not wanting to disturb them, he closed the door without a sound and made his way to his room. He shrugged off his coat, hanging it neatly over the back of a chair, then crossed to the bed. Switching off the lights, he lay down, but sleep refused to come.
His conversation with Sorin earlier lingered in his mind, disturbing his very peace. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration and shut his eyes, only for old memories to flood back, ones he had spent years trying to bury.
With a sigh, he sat up on the edge of the bed, staring into the stillness of the dark room. Restless, he rose and stepped out onto the balcony.
