The Unexpected Saviour

Selene sat motionless, the weight of the moment pressing down on her like an iron vice. The words 'a breach" echoed in her mind, twisting into something dark and urgent. Someone had infiltrated Lucian's estate and had made it past his security, past his walls, past the suffocating grip of control he so meticulously maintained which meant something bigger than her was happening outside this wall. Eve remained near the door, her posture tense but unreadable and her words from earlier still lingered because whatever was happening outside that door... I don't think it's going to end the way you hope. Selene inhaled slowly, trying to steady her thoughts; did she hope for anything at this point escape was no longer just about running, it was about uncovering the truth and now, the truth was knocking on Lucian's door. She glanced toward Eve. 'You knew this was coming, didn't you?"Eve's gaze flickered slightly. 'I knew something was coming, I didn't know when." Selene's fingers curled against her lap. 'Who is it?"Eve hesitated, then sighed. 'I don't know but if they got this far, then it means they aren't just an outsider." She met Selene's gaze. 'They knew how to get in." A chill ran through Selene 'An insider." Her mind raced or could it be someone connected to her father's company or someone from the past Lucian had kept hidden from her? The door suddenly rattled, and both women snapped their heads toward it, coming fast at the sound of heavy footsteps. Eve turned the lock just as a guard pounded on the wood. 'Stay inside," came a gruff voice. 'This isn't your fight."Selene's heartbeat spiked 'Yes, it was." She surged to her feet. 'Who is it?" The guard hesitated as if debating whether to answer then, in a tone edged with warning, he said, 'Someone is looking for you." Selene's breath caught as her fingers twitched at her sides. Eve stepped closer, lowering her voice. 'Selene, listen to me, whatever's happening, you need to think before you act."Selene's mind whirled, she had to act but she also had to be smart because Lucian was unpredictable and if someone had come looking for her, he wouldn't let them walk away. The distant sound of gunfire rang through the estate and Selene froze while Eve stiffened. 'Damn it." The guard outside cursed under his breath, his voice sharp. 'Stay here, do not move." Then his footsteps rushed away and quickly Eve turned toward Selene, her expression tight. 'We need to move." Selene's chest tightened.'To where?" Eve exhaled sharply, already unlocking the opposite door; the secondary exit and Selene's pulse roared in her ears. 'You planned this?" Eve's gaze darkened. 'I planned for a lot of things but this wasn't one of them." Selene didn't hesitate, She followed her through the hallway they entered was narrow, its walls lined with aged stone instead of polished wood, and the air was colder, untouched by the warmth of the rest of the estate, a typical servant's passage. Eve moved quickly, her steps were silent despite the urgency while Selene matched her pace, her mind racing. She had spent so much time wondering who Lucian was hiding her from, but now, for the first time, she had to ask, who had been looking for her all along? The sudden crash echoed through the walls, followed by the sharp shout of a man's voice. Eve stopped and Selene's breath was unsteady, the voice was familiar, and with a fast pace, Eve grabbed her wrist. 'Selene–" But Selene wrenched free and ran. She didn't think and didn't hesitate with her feet pounding against the floor as she burst through the passageway, down the next corridor, and straight toward the open hall where the commotion had erupted. The moment she stepped into the room, everything shifted; bodies of unmoving guards lay sprawled across the marble floor and the air smelled of blood and gunpowder while the grand chandelier above flickered from the disturbance but in the center of it all, a man stood, breathing heavily with a gun in his grip. Selene's breath hitched as he turned, his eyes locking onto hers, Caleb and Selene's heart stopped. He was alive but he looked different; his face was sharper with bruises lining his cheekbones and a cut bleeding down the side of his forehead but it was him. The same Caleb who had disappeared and the same Caleb Lucian had lied about was standing right in front of her on lifeless guards. For a moment, neither of them spoke then, Caleb exhaled. 'I finally found you." Selene's chest tightened as Caleb took a step forward, but before he could reach her, a gunshot rang through the air and Selene screamed. Caleb staggered his body jerking slightly, before his knees buckled and blood spread across his shirt, dark and fast. Selene's world tilted as she whipped around to see Lucian standing near the entrance with his gun still raised but his expression calm. Lucian lowered his weapon slightly, his voice smooth, and effortless.'Well," he murmured, 'that was unfortunate." Selene couldn't breathe as Caleb hit the ground, his blood pooling beneath him. Lucian was accurate and had shot him without hesitation. She wasn't going to wait anymore as she lunged forward toward Lucian and her entire world snapped.