Chapter 4 — The Weight of Legacy

Lucian

The study was silent, save for the rhythmic ticking of a brass clock atop the mantle. Lucian Ravenshade sat in his leather armchair, his fingertips tented in front of his lips, his gaze fixed on the shifting patterns of moonlight that filtered through the panoramic window. The sprawling forest beyond his estate seemed to breathe under the silver glow, each shifting shadow a reminder of the world outside—wild, untamable, and teeming with complications.