Julian's hand stopped halfway, and for a brief second everything held before the reaction returned, stronger and faster than before.
It moved through him without warning, rising from deeper than before, spreading upward in a way that left no room to steady it before it settled in. His fingers tightened instinctively, closing around nothing as his breath caught in his chest.
The chair shifted slightly beneath him as his weight adjusted without intention.
Julian steadied himself against the edge of the table, his grip firm as he forced his breathing to slow. The familiar instinct to regain control was still there, but the reaction did not fade the way it had earlier. It stayed, pressing just beneath the surface, as if waiting for something that had already begun.
Lucian moved.
The distance between them disappeared in a single, controlled step, his attention narrowing fully on Julian.
"Don't fight it," he said.
