My heart raced as I listened to Lucien’s words. Every one of them was like a punch to my gut. I couldn’t think, couldn’t focus. My mind was a whirlwind, spinning from one thought to the next. All I could hear was the fear for Rick, and it drowned out everything else. The pounding in my chest was louder than my own voice, louder than Lucien’s harsh words.

I stood there, frozen, staring at him. It felt like the world had gone quiet, but my thoughts were anything but. “You’re telling ...