The rhythm of hooves and the creak of wheels filled the air as the carriage glided along the forest path. Sunlight streamed through the window, giving Lucien enough light to read.
"Most people would at least attempt conversation," Tristan remarked, shattering his tranquility.
Without lifting his gaze from the book, he answered indifferently, "I am reading."
Allowing Tristan to share the carriage was taxing enough. He refused to indulge his teasing, which would only erode his patience.
He required peace, and his beloved brother had a talent for denying it.
Tristan sighed in exasperation. "Somehow you never change—" Lucien looked up. It was the first time he'd heard something like that. "—still a bookworm."
Lucien tilted his head. "Do I?"
No wonder no one suspected him; he shared the same habit as the real Lucien.
A searing light burst.
Lucien squeezed his eyes shut. The carriage rocked violently amid rearing horses and groaning knights. When the barrier dropped, Lucien snapped his eyes open, locking with Tristan's knowing gaze.
Before he could speak, a heavy blow slammed into his temple, hurling him sideways as darkness swallowed him.
Gasping sharply, Lucien's eyes flew open. The vision!
The world went blinding white. Lucien shut his eyes and swiftly summoned an earth wall to block the oncoming strike.
"Duck!"
A hand seized Lucien's collar, dragging him into the cramped footwell.
"An ambush!" someone roared amid chaos.
The wood beneath them groaned and snapped; the carriage pitched violently, tossing their bodies sideways.
"Oh, shit!" Tristan cursed.
Lucien conjured a transparent barrier just as they slammed against the door. Splintering wood and glass exploded around them as the carriage flipped. Travel trunks and carriage seats crashed against the shield.
His ears rang. A dull ache bloomed across his ribs—then the horses screamed. The world jerked. His body pitched sideways as the wreckage lurched. Shards and splinters continued to rain down around them.
"Dammit! Did we just get dragged?!" Tristan's shout cut through the chaos as their bodies jostled violently against one another inside the barrier.
"One of the horses must've bolted!" Lucien bellowed. "They're panicking!"
Horses were sensitive to sight and sound. The flash might have startled them, but the crash sent them into full panic. Tethered together, one animal's fear spread to the rest, turning the team into a thrashing, runaway force.
"We'll crash into something at this rate!"
The carriage groaned as it dragged along the ground. Wood and metal screeched as its side scraped against the forest floor. The world spun in a nauseating whirl, and Lucien strained to keep the barrier intact.
A sharp jerk threw them forward. Their heads slammed against the barrier, drawing pained groans.
Then, silence—save for the fading echoes of galloping hooves and their ragged breath.
The carriage had stopped. The reins had likely snapped.
Lying on his back, Lucien stirred and clutched his throbbing head. Even with his body reinforced by Aura, pain still pulsed through his skull.
As his senses returned, steel clashing and battle cries filled the air. A fight was raging outside. Lucien lowered his hand and scanned the dim, wrecked space; jagged shards and splintered wood hemmed them in with no clear way out.
"Still alive?" Tristan asked.
Lucien glanced at Tristan, sprawled beside him. "Barely. You?"
Tristan's lips quirked. "Still breathing."
Lucien nodded. "Good, now let's get out of here—"
"Your Highnesses!" Kyle and Gilbert's muffled shouts pierced through the chaos. "Your Highnesses, are you alright?!"
"Yes, we are!" Tristan barked back.
"Please wait, we will get you out!" Gilbert bellowed.
"No, stay guarding!" Lucien ordered.
"But, Your Highness—"
Ignoring Kyle, Lucien turned back to Tristan. "Use wind magic. Clear the debris."
Tristan nodded. "Understood."
He pressed a palm to the barrier above and began to chant. A magic circle flared to life, flooding the cramped space with light. A violent gust burst outward, blasting the debris away with a sharp crack.
Once the surface cleared, Lucien dismissed the barrier. The metallic tang of blood and the damp scent of earth stung his nostrils.
Rising to his feet, Lucien summoned his sword and cut through the carriage's wall. Outside, Kyle, Gilbert, and several knights were already in position, quickly forming a protective line as they emerged.