Julian's POV
After leaving Catherine's room that night, I opened my door and froze.
Lucy was sitting on my bed. No, she was curled on it, knees to her chest like a terrified child. The moment she saw me, she shot up and ran straight into my arms, shaking so hard her teeth were almost clicking. Her breath hitched against my chest as she hugged me tight, too tight, like she thought I might disappear if she let go.
"Julian," she sobbed. "Where were you? I—I came to meet you but you weren't—"
"I'm here," I cut her off, pretending I didn't hear the question. "What happened? Why are you crying?"
She pulled back just enough for me to see her face, and God, her eyes were red and wild with panic.
"I had a dream," she choked out. "About my dad. He… he was trying to kill me again."
