Rowan was on alert, ready to block Rowena in case she tried to do something funny.
But Elian remained calm, his eyes now staring at the tree leaves dancing peacefully amid his chaos.
Elian watched the emerald canopy shift and sway against the grey sky, an unbothered rhythm existing entirely apart from the storm raging inside his head.
"Elian, oh, my... you look so thin," Rowena gasped, looking so worried as they finally stopped in front of Elian and Rowan.
Lucien's eyes took in Elian; truly, he was thin.
For seven days, Lucien barely ate, and each time he did, he felt like a coward. How could he eat so peacefully when he knew that Elian was starving down there? Standing before Elian, he couldn't even look into his eyes; he had failed Elian... again.
"He is fine, Princess," Rowan said, his tone underlying a warning to his cousin.
