Lucien POV

The corridor smelled of dust and old lavender, my mother’s scent trapped in the wood and now in my mind.

Walking out of Ivy’s room felt like stepping back through every thin memory I’d tried to burn. This place began with her and ended with her; every corner held a confession I’d never said aloud.

Alaric fell into step beside me, the anger from before creeping in. He didn’t look at me. He watched the floor, then the walls, me, like he was reading what I was trying not to ...