Lucian stood beside the sleek black car, crossing his arms, watching as Sebastian's patience rapidly disintegrated in front of the Caelora Gardens' manager.
The Sylvan attendant was already sweating, his leafy insignia trembling slightly as he tried to hold his ground. "I'm terribly sorry, Sir Sebastian, but the Gardens are closed to all visitors today… No exceptions, not even for Lord Drake."
Sebastian's jaw tightened. "My lord doesn't wait for exceptions."
Lucian didn't intervene, probably because his attention, though seemingly elsewhere, was divided half on the conversation, half on the quiet figure sitting inside the car. Through the tinted glass, he could see Seraphina leaning slightly against the window, her expression soft, tired.
She had tried to pretend she wasn't exhausted, of course. He'd seen the way her eyes kept drifting earlier, how she tried to hide the weight in them behind forced curiosity.
