At last, Ash gave up trying to break through the barrier. His body drained, a faint trickle of blood still on his lip. With no choice, he pulled back and teleported away.
The next moment, he was back in his room, sinking onto the bed. His heart raced, and his thoughts spun restlessly. Why was Adrian in that place? Why was it sealed so heavily...and what could be happening inside?
...
Lucien's lay on his bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling, while Aster rested on the floor beside him, half-awake. Since coming home from school that evening, Lucien had been caught in shifting moods, speaking little.
Even when Aster prepared dinner with quiet care, Lucien had pushed it away, muttering that he wasn't hungry. He tried to act as if everything was fine, but inside, the weight lingered.
Ash's words from that night echoed in his mind: "I didn't mean it," when he had said if he wanted to sleep with him.
Lucien's chest tightened. But I want to sleep with you.
...
