Daylight sank to a slanting position, throwing warped shapes over the Kraus property. Three hours had passed since Yelena's 'training' began, and Lucian's current method of evasion was rudimentary but effective: he had tucked himself into the contract, dusty space behind a large tapestry in the portrait gallery, his back pressed against the wall.
Through a small tear in the fabric, he watched Yelena pass by. Her eyes scanning every alcove and shadow. Her stillness was more unnerving than any chase. He held his breath until she turned the corner and her soft footsteps faded.
He only exhaled when the silence stretched for several minutes. Carefully, he crept from his hiding spot, brushing dust from his tunic. The exhaustion was settling deep into his bones. He was sticky with dried sweat. It was a miserable feeling, one that reminded him of his days in the hospital bed.
And then there was Yelena. Why was she so… invested? He had offered her a deal, protection in exchange for guidance, and she had accepted. But this felt weirdly personal, almost like a test she was determined he wouldn't pass. Was this her way of asserting dominance? Or was she trying to break him down to rebuild him stronger?
A distant church bell announced the hour. The sound snapped him to attention. His father's carriage would be arriving soon. Hildebrand Kraus was a man who valued appearance and control above all else. Lucian couldn't meet him looking like a gutter rat. He needed to be clean, if not exactly dignified.
Glancing once more down the hall to ensure Yelena wasn't lurking, Lucian made his decision. He turned away from the portrait gallery and headed toward the residential wing. The thought of a hot bath, the simple luxury of washing away the last few hours, was the only thing that pushed him forward.
The steam still clung to Lucian's skin as he stepped out of the bathroom, the fresh tunic feeling alien against his torso. Yelena was already there, waiting in the hallway like a statue. She didn't smile. Her eyes swept over him, noting the clean clothes and damp hair.
"Your father has arrived," she stated. "He waits in his study. The hunt is put on hold."
The hunt, huh.
Lucian let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Finally. I thought you were going to chase me until I collapsed."
"Perhaps," she said, stepping in line beside him to guide him through the manor. "But Lord Hildebrand demands an audience."
As they walked the corridor, Lucian glanced at her profile. He couldn't figure her out. One moment she was testing his limits, the next she was obeying the hierarchy of this broken house.
"Why are you so motivated?" Lucian asked, his voice low. "I understand is for training sake, but you seem to take it very personally."
Yelena didn't look at him. A faint pink dusted her cheeks, betraying the stoic mask, but she remained silent. She simply adjusted her pace, forcing him to keep up.
Lucian pressed. "Come on. Talk to me."
They rounded a corner, the doors of the study looming in the distance. Yelena finally broke her silence, though she didn't answer his previous question. Instead, she asked one of her own, dropping her voice to a near whisper.
"Where are you really from, Lucian?" she asked. "I had theories. Yet I'm afraid none of them hold up."
Lucian stopped walking. The question hung between them. He looked at her, really looked at her.
"Is it that important?" Lucian countered, keeping his face neutral. "Our deal didn't include me sharing my secrets."
Yelena studied him for a beat longer, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, or perhaps just resignation. She didn't push. She just nodded and resumed walking.
They reached the imposing doors. Yelena reached out, grasping the iron handle. She pushed the door open, stepping aside to let him pass.
"He is inside," she said, refusing to meet his eyes. She didn't follow him in. She simply waited outside, the door swinging shut behind Lucian, sealing him in with the Lord.
The door clunked shut behind Lucian, sealing him into the musty air of his father's study. Hildebrand Kraus sat behind a massive desk littered with scrolls and ledgers, a silver letter opener tapping rhythmically against the mahogany surface. He didn't look up immediately.
"I must admit," Hildebrand began, his voice dry, "the report from the mine was… unexpected." He set the blade down, finally turning his gaze to Lucian. His weary eyes, swept over his son's cleaned clothes and the fresh bandage on his hand. "I never anticipated you'd involve yourself in such crude affairs. And to bring two men back from that pit? You surprise me, Lucian."
Hildebrand leaned back, studying him with patience. He took a deep, conscious breath. "This sudden change in behavior… it's because of Lady Uzume, isn't it?"
Lucian remained silent. He had no memory of the original Lucian's relationship with this man on this matter, yet the lingering bitterness in the air between them was telling of their shared past.
Hildebrand misinterpreted the quiet as stubbornness. He waved a dismissive hand. "It is too late to cancel the arrangement. Even if you performed miracles, the contracts are signed. Do not think your newfound diligence will save you from it."
Lucian met his father's stare. "I do not seek to cancel anything," he said, his tone even.
Hildebrand's eyebrows rose slightly. He leaned forward, a ghost of a smirk touching his lips. "Is that so?"
He leaned forward, the leather of his chair groaning. "We have another matter. The overseer of the mine hanged himself in the stable this morning."
Lucian felt a cold weight settle in his stomach. The overseer? The one who had delivered the initial news about the mine?
"His body was found at first light," Hildebrand continued, his voice devoid of sympathy. "He left no note. I suspect he was conscious of what awaited him after the interrogation. Why else would a man take his own life?"
Hildebrand paused, letting the implication hang in the air. "Tell me, Lucian. What is your take on this? Miners know the rules, no alcohol during shifts. Yet, the entire crew was drunk. How does that happen?"
Lucian swallowed, forcing his mind to work. He thought of the foreman, Carl, the man who he talked with briefly at the mine entrance. He thought of the goblins that shouldn't be capable of overtaking a whole mine. Even if he assume the overseer had a finger in all this, why? What would he gain from destroying his own place of work?
"My guess?" Lucian spoke, his voice steady despite the tremor in his hands. "The overseer or the foreman Carl had ulterior motives. But now that the overseer is dead, he can't talk. It leaves Carl as the sole person who knows what really happened."
Hildebrand's tapped the letter opener again, "A reasonable conclusion, though it provides no answers." he murmured. "They were brothers, you see. Shared control of the mine. If one is guilty, the other usually is too."
The Lord sat back, staring at the ceiling for a long moment. Lucian waited, unsure if he was being measured or dismissed.
Finally, Hildebrand returned his gaze to Lucian. "I will give you the management of the mine. Consider it a test."
Lucian blinked. "Me?"
"You," Hildebrand confirmed. "Prove you are capable of handling something beyond your own gluttony. I want you to investigate this affair. Find out why the overseer truly killed himself. Discover what Carl knows. If you can manage the mine for two months..." A rare, thin smile touched the Lord's lips. "I will authorize your entry into the Xantarian Academy. But only if you do great. Fail, and you will remain here to rot with the rest of us."