STARLIGHT UNBOUND by Deus Ex Machina - HTML preview

STARLIGHT UNBOUND

This isn't about staying safe anymore. It’s about doing something—something real.”

Lucien sighed, meeting Lyra ’s eyes. “Then we do it.”

Harun grinned. “Damn right, we do.”

Corin didn ’t look convinced, but he nodded reluctantly. “Alright. But if we’re doing this, we do it smart. No mistakes.”

Lyra ’s lips curled into the faintest smile, determination burning in her eyes. “No mistakes.”

***

“The details of the plan can wait a few hours. We need to rest, or we won’t be able to think straight.”

Lucien studied her, noticing the exhaustion in the lines of her face, the tightness around her mouth. She wasn’t wrong—they were running on fumes, and with the evidence they’d uncovered, they needed clarity more than ever.

Lyra stood, moving to the small cabinet tucked into the corner of the room. She pulled out a squat bottle of amber liquid and a handful of mismatched glasses, setting them down with a soft clink. “One drink. Then we sleep.”

Harun grinned wider, already reaching for a glass. “Finally, something I can get behind.”

Corin ’s lips twitched, his shoulders easing as he accepted a glass from Lyra. Even Lucien found himself managing a small smile when she pressed a glass into his hand.

The whiskey burned as it slid down his throat, the warmth spreading through his chest, loosening the knots in his stomach. He let out a slow breath, the momentary comfort more welcome than he cared to admit.

Lyra raised her glass, her voice quiet but steady. “To the truth. And to what comes next. ”

The others murmured their agreement, their glasses clinking.

As the conversation settled into a quiet lull, Corin glanced around the table settling on Lucien. The usual sharpness in his eyes was still there, but something else had crept in —something closer to understanding.

He swirled the whiskey in his glass before speaking, his voice lower, less edged. “You handled yourself back there… better than I expected.” He took a sip, studying Lucien over the rim of his glass. “Guess you’re not just another cog in the machine after all.” It wasn’t an apology, not exactly, but it was the closest thing to one Lucien figured he’d get. And somehow, it was enough.

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