Large, calloused arms seemed to wrap around his waist, pulling him back into a protective embrace that promised safety, and then a whisper filled with affection echoed in his ears softly,.
"Julian,"
Julian gasped and whispered, "Lucien…" his heart leaping into his throat.
He quickly turned in a frantic, desperate motion, his sleeve catching the edge of the washbasin. The porcelain washbasin crashed to the floor, shattering into a thousand white shards as water exploded across the rug.
But the one Julian wanted to see as he turned around wasn't there. His breath hitched as he scanned the empty room, his eyes wide and bloodshot.
There was no one.
The room was empty, the shadows of the Jade Wing mocking him with their stillness. The scent of pine was gone, replaced by the cloying, stagnant smell of the Palace's incense.
