CHAPTER 44: EX-FIANCÉE

"Where should we head first?" I asked, glancing around at the endless stretch of glowing corridors. Every turn of the Leviathan-built mall shimmered like liquid glass, and the faint hum of magic resonated through the walls like a heartbeat.

Lucian’s gaze swept the surroundings, calm and deliberate. "You tell me," he said, his voice smooth. "Thalor practically gave you the keys to his kingdom."

I made a face. "You mean the mall. Not a kingdom. And honestly, I don’t even know where to start. Everything here looks... too shiny to touch."

He chuckled softly. "That’s the point. Leviathans like to overwhelm their guests until they stop thinking."

"Well, it’s working," I muttered under my breath, spinning slowly as I tried to take everything in. Floating kiosks moved like jellyfish, glowing ribbons of water carried items from one display to another, and faint bubbles drifted past as though the air itself remembered it used to be ocean.

Lucian’s eyes lingered on me for a moment, that faint amused curve tugging at his lips. "You could start with something simple. Clothes, maybe."

"Clothes?" I blinked in surprise. "Can I?"

"Of course you can..." he said easily, clasping his hand with mine. The gesture was so natural, so fluid, that for a second it made me forget that we’d only known each other for a little more than a week.

His hand was cool, steady, contrasting the faint warmth that spread through my palm where our skin met. "Thalor did say everything’s on him," Lucian continued, a sly smile playing on his lips. "Might as well make him regret it."

I let out a small laugh. "You sound way too happy about that."

"He owes me," Lucian said simply. "For saving his tail... literally."

I blinked. "Tail?"

Lucian’s smile turned knowing. "You’ll see when he gets too excited. Leviathans forget to hide their scales sometimes."

I giggled, picturing it. "You two sound like you’ve been through a lot."

"We have," he admitted. "Thalor’s reckless, but dependable. If he’s giving you a free pass in his mall, that’s his way of saying welcome to the family."

"Really?"

"Or," Lucian said with mock seriousness, "it’s his way of showing off. Hard to tell with him."

I shook my head, smiling as we walked. "You dragons and Leviathans have such complicated friendships."

Lucian chuckled quietly, squeezing my hand once before letting go. "That’s what centuries of rivalry and drinking competitions do to a bond."

I grinned. "Sounds like you two are just grown-up kids who never stopped competing."

"Exactly," he said, giving me a sideways glance that made it hard not to laugh. "Now, come on. Let’s make Thalor’s wallet cry."

I blinked, startled. "What?"

Lucian smirked. "You said you wanted clothes, didn’t you? Let’s start with your pyjamas. You’ve been wearing the same pair since you came to live with me..."

"Because... the other pyjamas are too revealing," I mumbled, heat rushing to my cheeks.

He raised an eyebrow, amusement gleaming in his eyes. "Too revealing? Why would you worry about that when you’d be wearing nothing after?"

"Lucian Drake!" I hissed, instantly clapping my hand over his mouth, my eyes darting around to make sure no one had heard that.

"Do you mind not talking about something like that in public?" I whispered sharply, my voice trembling between outrage and sheer embarrassment.

His eyes gleamed with laughter above my hand, utterly unrepentant. When I finally pulled it away, he leaned in, lowering his voice until his breath brushed against my ear.

"Why?" he murmured, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. "Afraid someone might get jealous?"

I nearly choked. "Jealous? Of what?!"

"Of me," he said simply, straightening up like he hadn’t just dropped the most shameless line imaginable.

"Lucian!" I hissed again, my face now definitely as red as a phoenix flame. "You—You have no shame!"

He tilted his head, pretending to think. "None," he said finally, "especially when it comes to you."

"Lu...cian?"

The unfamiliar voice made me pause. I turned, and there she was... A petite woman standing a few steps away, her golden hair cascading down her shoulders in glossy waves that shimmered faintly under the ocean light. Her eyes were golden, and when they landed on Lucian, they lit up instantly.

"Ah—it is really you! It’s been a while!" she said, nearly bouncing in place, her excitement far too obvious.

Lucian’s expression didn’t shift much, calm, composed, almost unreadable. But his eyes flicked briefly toward her hair before he spoke, his tone even. "You changed your hair color."

Her lips curved into a playful smile. "You noticed. I wasn’t sure you would."

He gave a short nod, nothing more. "It’s hard not to."

I narrowed my eyes slightly, watching her from head to toe. Her movements were graceful. Her voice carried that lilting, musical tone that made the air feel thicker, almost hazy. Definitely not human, I thought, studying the faint shimmer around her. Fox? Maybe Siren?

Her gaze shifted to me, bright but a little too curious. "And who’s this?" she asked, her tone sugar-sweet but not half as innocent as she tried to make it sound.

Lucian’s fingers tightened around mine before he replied, still without a flicker of emotion. "My wife."

Her smile faltered. "Wife?"

"Yes," he said simply, looking directly at her. "Celeste."

She blinked a few times, her cheerful expression slipping for a moment before she recovered it with an awkward laugh. "So, you really proceeded with the marriage alliance?"

Lucian didn’t flinch. "I did."

There was no pride or warmth in his tone, just a quiet finality that made even the hum of the enchanted mall seem to fade for a moment.

She tilted her head, her golden curls brushing against her shoulder as she studied him, her lips curving into a faint, knowing smile. "I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it," she said softly. "Dragons don’t usually follow ancient pacts. Especially you."

Lucian’s eyes didn’t waver. "I follow what I decide is worth it."

The air between them shifted—tense, not hostile, but heavy with something unsaid. Like the ghost of an unfinished story neither of them wanted to revisit.

She finally forced a smile, the corners of her lips curving with practiced grace before her golden eyes slid toward me.

"Nice to meet you, Celeste," she said smoothly. "I’m Lyra Nerina... Lucian’s ex–fiancée."

I blinked, unsure if I heard her right. "Ex–what?"