The atmosphere on the terrace changed instantly after Elias spoke through Lucien's earpiece.
Lucien's expression hardened immediately. "Location?"
"East media corridor near the secondary ballroom entrance", Elias answered. "Security is moving now."
Lucien looked toward Seraphina. "Stay here."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "That is not happening."
"This may escalate physically." He said.
"And leaving me isolated somehow sounds safer to you?" She asked.
For half a second, Lucien looked like he wanted to argue. Then he stopped himself because she was right.
"Fine," he said calmly. "You stay beside me."
The answer should not have affected her the way it did, but after days of being treated like a problem to manage by everyone else, Lucien remained the only person who spoke to her like a partner inside the crisis instead of a liability attached to it.
