Drake POV:
Tonight, I slipped away from the school. I had to find Lucius before anyone else did. I knew exactly where he'd be. He had a hideout, a place where he could disappear when he didn't want the royal council or his father to find him. I had spent enough time with him back in the day to know the places he'd go to escape, to vent about the council's restrictions, his father's pressure.
I knew that place like the back of my hand. We used to sneak there when we were young, talking about our hopes, our frustrations, about the future we wanted. I'd spent many nights listening to him rant about the council and how much they restricted his every move, how his father had tried to box him in with duties and obligations. That place held more than just memories—it was where Lucius would go to be free.
I was close.
And as I made my way deeper into the dark woods, I could feel the tension building in my chest. What would I find there? Would Lucius still remember me? Would he even care?
