“It crossed every line this Guild holds sacred.”
I swallow hard.
“Why didn’t you say something before? Why didn’t you stop them?”
Lucian’s eyes meet mine. “Because I needed to know who they were when no one was watching. And I needed them to see who you are without my shield.”
I blink, stunned. A twisted kind of test.
“So, I’m your pawn.”
“No,” he says instantly. “You’re my daughter.”
He steps closer. “And I’ve seen enough to know this place doesn’t deserve you yet. But that will change.”
I let out a shaky breath. Some part of me wants to ask him to pull me out of here, to tell me I don’t need to fight so hard anymore.
But the other part—the part that’s still burning—wants to win.
“They won’t stop,” I say quietly.
Lucian nods. “Then don’t give them the satisfaction of seeing you break.”
He reaches into his coat and pulls out a small metal token—sleek and dark, stamped with the Guild crest. He presses it into my palm.
“Whatever you need for this task, you’ll have it. From me. No questions asked.”
I stare down at it. Cool. Heavy. For the first time since the photos went up… I feel steady again.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
Lucian watches me closely as I slip the token into my pocket. But his expression shifts—like there’s still one more truth he’s weighing, something heavier.
“There’s something else,” he says. “I should’ve told you earlier.”
“What?” I stiffen.
He exhales through his nose, the kind of breath a man lets out before ripping open old wounds.
“Shortly after marrying Adrienne, I made a deal.”
I don’t move. “With who?”
“Gideon Ravencourt.” His gaze darkens.
“Why? You told me to stay away from them but you made a deal?”
“I know.” Lucian sighs, dragging a hand down his face.
“What kind of deal?” My stomach drops.
“I was desperate,” Lucian admits. “Your mother vanished with you, and every trail went cold. I searched for years. And finally, Imade a deal—if I hadn’t found you by the time his son started initiation, the Guild leadership would be transferred to him.”
The words echo in the chamber like a hammer hitting stone.
I blink at him, stunned. “You were going to give everything to them?”
“I was getting pressured. They wanted to ensure I had an heir to train to take over. And without you, I didn’t. And Ravencourt… he’s been waiting.”
