Days did not drift by. They were spent.
Lucien moved through the Liberators' branch like a man paying debts to the future.
He joined their training courts, corrected foundations, and sparred just enough to sharpen instincts without humiliating anyone.
The Liberators would matter in the Big World.
Lucien did not intend to become one of them, but partnership was considered by him. If they were to stand beside him later, then they needed to stand tall.
And Lucien, as always, preferred allies who could survive.
•••
The cure work, however, moved faster than Lucien expected.
Not because the Liberators "thought of an alternative."
They created one.
Cassian sought him out one afternoon with Seraphine at his side. Their eyes were bright.
"We received word from headquarters," Cassian said.
Lucien raised a brow. "Middle Continent?"
Cassian nodded. "One of our Liberators has a cultivation cheat. He specializes in crops and herbs."
