Lucas returned her embrace with a small, relieved smile, but before he could say anything, he felt the urgency in her grip, the tension in her body that had nothing to do with emotion and everything to do with danger. She pulled back quickly, her eyes scanning their surroundings before settling on him again. "There's no time," she said in a low, hurried tone. "You shouldn't be out here. Curfew is about to begin, and anyone found outside…" she paused briefly, her expression tightening, "…they don't ask questions anymore. They just take you."
Lucas's expression sharpened instantly, the shift in her tone enough to tell him everything he needed to know about the current state of things. Without hesitation, he gave a subtle signal to his men, a quiet command to move, and they responded immediately, falling into step behind him as Cecilia turned and began leading the way.
