STARLIGHT UNBOUND by Deus Ex Machina - HTML preview

Chapter 13

Lucien stirred as light from the planning area stretched down the passage, spilling into the room in thin, golden bands.

He couldn ’t place where he was. The rough blanket draped over him, the distant murmur of voices beyond the door —none of it belonged to his apartment. None of it belonged to the Bureau.

Then, it all came rushing back.

He opened his eyes, blinking at the cracked ceiling above. The weight he ’d carried for days, the tightness that had gripped him since uncovering the truth, felt... lighter.

For the first time in weeks —maybe months—he had slept deeply. No alarms. No restless thoughts yanking him from the edge of sleep. Just... rest.

He sat up, rubbing a hand over his face, the cot beneath him creaking in protest. The mattress was thin, lumpy, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. I needed that.

Sliding his feet to the floor, he stretched, rolling the stiffness from his shoulders. His body felt looser, lighter, as though something had shifted.

The scent of coffee drifted through the door, rich and bitter, making his stomach coil with sudden hunger.

Lucien stepped into the main room, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He paused in the doorway, taking in the scene before him.

The rebels were scattered around the table, coffee mugs in hand, their voices a low hum against the crackling energy of the space. The air carried a blend of scents—coffee, paint, and damp concrete.

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