"I choose the Madam of Dominion."
As soon as those words echoed through the room, everyone turned toward the source.
All eyes went wide. Breaths caught in throats. For a moment, every mind went blank.
The man leaning against the doorframe was the last person any of them expected to see — today, or ever again.
Lucian.
He leaned against the frame with his usual ease, complexion pale but his suit worn as dashingly as ever. His hair was less composed than normal, dark tips falling across his brow. His eyes were fixed in one direction.
Ashley.
She stood in his usual spot, dressed in full tactical gear, hair pulled back in a neat ponytail as though she hadn't wanted it in the way. In this room, surrounded by people who couldn't wait to tear her apart, she stood without flinching.
