#Chapter 38: Uncrowned Queen

(Violet’s POV) The stars had long since claimed the sky by the time I heard him. I didn’t turn. I didn’t need to. There was a kind of silence that only belonged to Lucian—a stillness that filled the space rather than left it empty. The kind that didn’t ask for permission. It simply was, undeniable and familiar as breath. He stepped onto the terrace, the soft sound of boots against stone breaking nothing, disturbing no one. I remained at the writing desk, my hands resting idle over the page, pen long dried, ink cold. I'd stopped writing hours ago, or maybe only minutes. Time had blurred since the verdict. Since the key sank beneath the river. Since everything that used to tether me finally gave way. He didn’t speak. Didn’t make a show of himself. He simply crossed the space between us, slowly, like a man used to carrying weight with care. Not caution—care. And when he reached me, he didn’t offer a greeting. He didn’t reach for me. He sat—beside, not across—and let the nigh