Lucian's POV
I didn't answer. I couldn't. My entire body was shaking with rage and sorrow, but I knew better than to speak. If Jalin found out that Leah was my daughter… if he discovered the truth…
"She's beautiful," Jalin continued, his fingers tightening around my hips. "Almost as beautiful as you."
I closed my eyes, willing myself not to look. But it was impossible. My mind replayed the scene over and over—Leah's face twisted in pain, her body trembling beneath Finn's brutal touch.
"Stop," I whispered, though I knew it was futile. "Please… stop…"
Jalin laughed, a harsh, grating sound that made my blood run cold. "Stop? Why would I stop? You've never asked for this before."
His words hit me like a blow to the chest. He was right—I had never fought him before. Never resisted. But now… now I couldn't bear it.
"Please," I pleaded again, my voice breaking. "I can't… I can't watch this."
Jalin paused, his movements slowing as he looked at me with a mixture of surprise and amusement. "Can't watch what?" he asked, his tone dangerous.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "What's happening to her," I whispered. "I can't watch... Move me away from the window. I'll do whatever you want me to do."
For a moment, Jalin said nothing. Then his expression darkened, his eyes narrowing with a malicious gleam.
"Oh," he said softly. "Oh, Your Majesty… you're going to regret this."
He pressed me against the window, yanking my hair and forced me to look outside. His hands tightened around my waist, digging into my flesh as he thrust harder, faster. The pain was excruciating, but it was nothing compared to the agony of knowing what was happening to Leah.
"Make noise," Jalin commanded, his voice low and venomous. "Let them hear you."
I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. I lowered my head and whispered. "No… no…"
But Jalin wasn't listening. He pulled my head back by my hair, forcing me to look out the window again. Leah's cries echoed through the courtyard, muffled but unmistakable.
"Sing for me," Jalin growled, his lips brushing against my ear.
I bit down on my tongue until it bled, refusing to give him the satisfaction of hearing me scream. But inside, I was screaming—begging for mercy, begging for release.
When it was over, Jalin released me with a satisfied smirk. He adjusted his clothes and stepped back, leaving me trembling and broken on the floor.
"You're welcome, Your Majesty," he said coldly, before turning and walking out of the room.
I collapsed onto the mattress, my body shaking with sobs. The memory of Leah's face haunted me—her empty eyes, her trembling hands. And yet… even in that moment of despair… there had been a flicker of hope.
A spark.
My daughter is still alive. That's all it matters.
Lucas' POV
The days blurred into an endless haze of torment, each moment dragging on like an eternity. My body bore the scars of Jalin's fury, every breath a reminder of my suffering. Yet, today, after what felt like an eternity, the cell door creaked open, signaling my release.
Royal Guards entered, their faces stern yet oddly respectful, bearing clean clothes. They led me to a bathhouse where steaming water enveloped me, washing away the grime of captivity. Dressed in a crisp suit, I was ushered into a sleek limo. The leather seats were cool against my skin, a stark contrast to the rough fabric of my prison rags.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked the driver, but he remained silent, a stone wall behind his partition. Doubt crept in—was this a ruse? As we drove, I noticed familiar landmarks - the Huffner Bridge, a project I had once bidded for and overseen. Memories of its construction flooded back, halted midway by my arrest.
The limo turned towards Mediland, and my heart sank. The slave market loomed ahead, a labyrinth of despair. Its walls cast long shadows, slicing the sky into jagged fragments. I feared Jalin's cruel twist- selling me into slavery instead of execution.
Stepping out, daylight blinded me after months of darkness. The air was thick with sweat and despair, a suffocating miasma of human misery. As I stumbled through iron gates, whispers followed me—pity from some, scorn from others.
"Lucas," Finn's voice broke through my daze. He stood tall, his presence a beacon of hope. His usual bravado softened by concern, he ordered the guards to remove my restraints. Freedom from chains brought relief, yet my head ached for answers.
"Leah... where is she?" I pleaded, desperation lacing my words.
Finn's expression darkened. "She's gone," he said gently, yet firmly. My denial erupted, fueled by a desperate belief in a divine intervention.
"No," I cried. "The Moon Goddess offered me a pact - my heart for Leah's life. She must be still alive!"
Finn's skepticism was palpable. "This is madness," he said. "I've seen her body... altogether with the unborn. You must have hallucinated. No one lives without a heart."
"No!" I persisted, clinging to hope. "I know what I feel! She is still alive!"
Finn sighed, his resolve unyielding. "I know how you feel. I've lost my mate as well. But they're gone now. We still have each other," he said softly. The weight of our shared loss hung heavy.
For now, I have to focus on Finn - my anchor in this storm. Gratitude welled within me as we discussed simpler things.
"I'm sorry, brother," I said. "I need to take a rest."
"Sure. Shower and sleep. But before that, maybe a hearty breakfast. I hope you like seafood. You've lost quite a few pounds. What have you been doing in prison? Focusing on gym?"
I chuckled silently at his light-hearted joke.
In this moment, amidst grief and uncertainty, I found solace in Finn's strength and our enduring bond.