Sleep slowly took over me.
After so many sleepless nights because of the nightmare, I sank into such a depth of sleep that I had almost forgotten existed. Selene's presence by my side was the only thing holding onto me her hand resting on mine, her warmth steady and real. For the first time in what felt like weeks, I didn't felt scared of the dark.
When I woke up, the light outside the window felt soft and calm. My body, though still frail and weak, carried less of the exhaustion that it had for days. Someone had left a tray of food by my bedside. The smell of fresh bread and warm broth was simple but comforting.
I rose slowly, washed my face in the small tube brought by the maid, and sat to eat. It was only after I finished eating that I noticed Selene entering, her steps measured, her eyes bright with relief.
"You look much better than yesterday," she said, her lips curving into a gentle smile.
"Yes," I replied, setting down the spoon. "I haven't slept this well in ages."
"That's good to hear." She folded her arms with a mock sternness. "And don't worry about the doctor. No one would dare harm you in our estate."
Her words were reassuring, but I caught the faint flicker in her eyes a shadow of thought she didn't voice. Before I could ask, she shifted the subject.
"Well then, let's end this talk here. Someone has come to meet you."
The door creaked open, and a boy with neatly styled, light brown hair with a soft wave stepped inside. His movement broke the heavy silence of my room.
It was Magnus... Magnus Veilthorne.
He was around my age, and for as long as I could remember, he had been the only friend I had. Childhood afternoons spent playing in the courtyard, secret games we invented, whispered promises of adventures we'd one day take the memory of those times unfolded clearly in my mind.
"I heard you started recovering," Magnus said, his voice carrying both relief and warmth. "You do look like you're getting better. If you keep this up, you'll be able to attend the academy with the rest of us."
The way he smiled open, honest was almost radiant compared to the shadows I had been drowning in.
"Yeah... I guess," I answered, my voice awkward, as if the muscles of speech had rusted from disuse.
Selene's expression softened. "Magnus, you've come after so long. You should spend some time together."
"I suppose you're right, Miss Selene."
"How many times must I tell you to drop the 'Miss' part? Just call me Selene."
Magnus ignored her playful chiding and instead turned his gaze back to me. "Is there something you wanted to do, Lucian?"
"Yes," I admitted. "I've wanted this for a long time... Let's go to the market. It's been so long since I've set foot outside."
The air in the room shifted instantly. Both Selene and Magnus froze, their eyes reflecting worry.
"Outside...?" Magnus repeated, his tone hesitant.
Selene's face tightened with concern. "Lucian..."
"Aww, don't be like that," I said, forcing a small smile. "It's going to be fine."
Before Selene could argue further, a new voice entered the conversation. Steady, deep, and commanding.
"Yes, don't worry, Miss Selene. Let the young master go outside if he wishes. It's been far too long for him."
I turned toward the door. A tall man clad in a dark, practical uniform entered, his hair streaked faintly with gray at the temples.
Sir Edris.
He had served our family faithfully for decades, and even as a child, I remembered how people spoke his name with respect. A knight seasoned by countless battles, his presence alone carried authority. Few in this continent would dare provoke him.
But in my heart, a strange unease lingered. His appearance though familiar felt almost too convenient.
"You know why I'm worried, Sir Edris," Selene said, her brows furrowing. "What if something happens to him? What if he falls ill again?"
"You don't need to worry," Edris reassured her. "I'll accompany the young master as his escort. Nothing will happen to him under my watch."
Selene hesitated. She searched his face, as though trying to find cracks in his certainty. At last, she exhaled softly. "If you're going with him... I suppose I can allow it."
Edris gave a firm nod.
I leaned back against the pillows, my hand brushing the edge of the knife hidden beneath them. His words had been steady, but something in his gaze unsettled me. Perhaps I was too far gone into paranoia or perhaps the shadow I had seen once before had taught me never to take loyalty at face value.
Still... to step outside again. To feel the air of the streets, to hear the noise of the market after so many days confined in this room it was a temptation I could not resist.
"I guess I can't be picky," I murmured to myself. "At least I'll get to go outside. I can't wait to see the world again... after such a long time."
"It's odd I've been there before, back when I wasn't sick. But somehow, it feels different this time. Almost like I'm going for the very first time. And this little excitement in me... I can't quite explain it."
Selene remained by the doorway, watching him. Her brother's smile was fragile, touched by longing, but beneath it she sensed something sharper, something guarded. Though she had reassured him last night, her instincts refused to quiet. Perhaps it was a sister's intuition or perhaps it was that same nameless weight in the air, one that seemed to stir whenever the doctor or the knight was near.
Her fingers brushed against her sleeve, tightening imperceptibly.
Lucian might step outside soon.
But the world outside was the same as the one in their childhood memories and yet at the same time it wasn't.
And deep down, Selene feared he knew that too.