Lucien stood in the doorway, tall, sharp, his presence pressing into the room like an unwelcome memory. He extended a hand toward me, fingers steady, eyes unreadable.
I didn't take it.
Instead, the words came out sharper than I meant, edged with something I didn't bother hiding.
"What do you want?"
His hand hung in the air for a second before he dropped it, like he expected that answer. Like maybe he even deserved it.
"I'm here to see my sister."
I felt Val shift behind me. Her voice was soft, the kind of soft she only used when her heart was pulling her in two directions.
> "It's… fine, Kai."
I glanced at her. She wasn't angry. She wasn't even tense. She was just… soft. Hesitant-soft, like she didn't know how to brace for him being here.
Lucien stepped inside. His movements weren't rushed or cocky, just measured, careful. He didn't look at her first. He looked at me, like he needed permission to take another step.
"Can I sit?"
