Lucian's Pov
The morning sun hadn't even broken fully over the fortress walls when the knock came. Sharp. Hesitant. Urgent.
It was the kind of knock that brought with it more than just news—it carried weight. I felt it before I even called them in.
Now, seated behind the heavy oak desk in my office, I studied the three guards who stood before me, their postures stiff and eyes avoiding direct contact. All three were head patrol guards—one from the north border, one from the south, and one from the east. They weren't the kind of men who wasted time, much less asked for unscheduled meetings. Yet here they were.
I let the silence stretch just long enough to make them sweat.
"Start talking," I said, folding my arms across my chest. "You asked for a meeting this early. Make it worth the interruption."
