Chapter 290: Dead End The air settled.
One moment they were in the alley. The next, they stood on a rooftop overlooking the city. Finn’s knees buckled. Lucian caught him before he could fall.
"Easy," Lucian said.
Finn’s face was pale. His hands were shaking. He looked down at the tiles beneath his feet, then at the drop below, then back at Lucian.
"How did you—"
"Walked."
"That’s not walking."
"It is for me."
Finn opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. No sound came out.
Lucian let go of him once he was steady. He moved to the edge of the roof and sat down, legs dangling over the side. The city spread out below them, a patchwork of dark streets and scattered lights. Somewhere in the distance, a bell tolled.
Finn stayed where he was, frozen.
"You can sit," Lucian said without looking back. "Or stand. Doesn’t matter to me."
"You brought me up here to throw me off."
"I brought you up here because you needed to breathe." Lucian glanced over his shoulder. "If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead."
Finn swallowed. He took a hesitant step forward. Then another. Eventually, he lowered himself to the tiles, keeping a healthy distance between them.
They sat in silence.
The wind picked up, carrying smells from the market district—roasting meat, fresh bread, something sweet. Finn’s stomach growled. He pressed a hand against it, embarrassed.
"When did you last eat?" Lucian asked.
"Yesterday."
"That’s a lie."
"Day before, then." Finn’s voice was defensive. "I don’t keep a calendar."
Lucian reached into his pocket. Finn tensed, expecting a weapon, a threat, something. Instead, Lucian pulled out a small loaf of bread. Still warm. Fresh.
He held it out.
Finn stared at it. "Where did that come from?"
"I made it."
"You made it."
"Yes."
"You’re a mage who makes bread."
"I’m a mage who makes whatever I want." Lucian shook the loaf slightly. "Take it or don’t. I don’t care."
Finn took it.
He ate like he hadn’t seen food in weeks. Because maybe he hadn’t. The bread disappeared in chunks, swallowed without chewing, gone before he could taste it. When it was done, he stared at his empty hands like he couldn’t believe what had just happened.
Lucian said nothing.
He just sat there, watching the city, waiting for something Finn couldn’t name.
"Why are you being nice to me?" Finn asked finally.
"I’m not being nice."
"You gave me food."
"Food is food. Nice is something else."
Finn frowned, trying to figure out the difference. He couldn’t. In his world, food was nice. Full stop.
"You said you’re looking for someone," Finn said. "Someone everyone forgot."
"Yes."
"How do you forget someone?"
Lucian was quiet for a long moment. The bell in the distance tolled again. Farther this time. Or closer. It was hard to tell.
"I don’t know," he said. "That’s what I’m trying to find out."
Finn hugged his knees to his chest. He looked small like that. Young. Even though he hadn’t been young for a long time.
"What was their name?"
"Evelyn."
"Was she family?"
Lucian’s jaw tightened. "Yes."
"What happened to her?"
"That’s what I’m trying to find out too."