STARLIGHT UNBOUND by Deus Ex Machina - HTML preview

STARLIGHT UNBOUND

At last, the rebels gathering place came into view, its rusted shell blending into the decay around it. The air here felt thick with anticipation, of something unseen —like the city beyond was trying to erase this place from existence.

Lucien hesitated, his hand hovering over the cold metal of the door. The surface was rough beneath his fingertips, rust flaking away as he pushed against it.

Voices drifted from deeper within, low and tense, their words threading through the stairwell as he descended.

Lucien paused at the edge of the room, his heart hammering against his ribs as his eyes adjusted to the light.

Lyra.

Her voice carried through the room—calm, deliberate—but the words slipped past him.

Lucien tightened his grip on the edge of the doorway, his breath shallow, his resolve burning sharper than before.

I’m here.

***

Eyes snapped toward him, sharp and questioning.

She was the last to notice.

At the far end of the room, Lyra stood with her back to him.

When she turned, she froze.

Their eyes locked, and something flickered across her face—surprise, recognition... something deeper.

He’s here.

Her stomach fluttered, the whisper that had lingered all day roaring to life. He looked out of place —too polished, too composed—but there was something different in his eyes now. He looked... untethered.

Crossing her arms, she took a measured step forward. “You came.”

Her voice was calm, but there was a trace of something beneath it—relief, or hesitation.

Lucien nodded. “I had to.”

Corin stepped forward. “So he’s back? The Bureau’s golden boy?”

Before he could respond, Lyra’s voice sliced through the air. “Enough, Corin. ”

He turned to her, frustration simmering in his stance. “Are you serious, Lyra? You led him here. Do you even realize what kind of risk you ’re taking?”

104