The shift in the corridor did not fade but deepened into something more deliberate. Julian felt it before he could fully process it, the pressure settling into the space around them in a way that made everything feel unstable, as though the building itself had lost its balance. Whatever had reached toward him moments ago had not withdrawn. It had adjusted and drawn closer, tightening the invisible distance between them.
Lucian understood it faster.
His attention sharpened immediately, his focus moving across the space with quiet precision as if he were tracking something that had already crossed into their surroundings and was now positioning itself. There was no hesitation in him, no pause to confirm what he already knew.
"We're leaving," he said.
Julian looked at him. "You just said—"
"We're not staying here."
The interruption came calm and controlled, but the change in Lucian's tone made it clear the situation had already moved past discussion.
Julian didn't argue.
