Ava woke to the soft hum of the city below. Her head throbbed slightly, but not from pain—from a rush of half-formed images that flitted through her mind like shadowy ghosts.
Faces. Places. Words she couldn't fully hear. But one phrase repeated over and over: "Trust no one… except him."
Her gaze moved automatically toward the spot Lucien usually occupied, and she found him leaning against the balcony, arms crossed, staring at the skyline. His dark silhouette was impossibly magnetic. Her chest tightened at the sight of him.
"Morning," he said without turning. His voice was low, velvety, yet commanding.
"Morning," she whispered, trying to steady her racing pulse.
Lucien turned, his piercing gaze locking on hers. "Did you dream again?"
Ava hesitated. "Not exactly… memories. I think I'm starting to remember pieces of my life before…" She trailed off.
Lucien stepped closer, each movement smooth, controlled, yet full of danger. "That's dangerous, Ava. These fragments—they might lead to answers… or more enemies."
Her stomach fluttered as his hand brushed lightly against hers, a touch so brief yet electrifying. She swallowed, trying to focus. "I need to know. I can't stay in the dark."
Lucien's dark eyes softened for a moment. "I'll help you. But you have to trust me completely. No distractions. No impulses."
Ava's pulse jumped, partly from the intensity of the moment, partly from the electricity that surged every time he was near. "I trust you," she whispered.
He moved closer, and the faintest brush of his lips to her temple made her knees weak. "Good," he murmured. "Because soon… everything will change."