Julian's entrance sent ripples of surprise across the faces of everyone present, except for Dorian.
Lillian's eyes widened with a mixture of relief and joy as he walked into the dining hall.
"Julian," She exclaimed, rising from her seat and walking over to him. She hugged him warmly, and Julian, a little taken aback, reciprocated, his arms barely touching her.
Dorian and Selena exchanged frowns at the intimate gesture.
"You're okay," Lillian said to Julian as she let him go.
"Yes, and you're okay as well. I told you, you could do it," Julian said with a smile. His gaze then turned to Dorian and Selena.
"Dragon," Julian acknowledged Dorian with a slight bow. "Glad to see you're alright. I had no doubt that you wouldn't be."
Dorian only nodded in response.
Julian's gaze then traveled to Selena, whose eyes had been on him since he entered. "My lady," Julian acknowledged her with a glint in his eyes and more emotion in his voice, inadvertently revealing a depth to their connection.
"Julian." Selena replied softly.
Dorian observed the exchanges with a discerning eye, his thoughts a guarded mystery.
"I have something important to discuss with you, Dragon," he directed to Dorian.
Dorian sighed, and regally rose to his feet, he looked resplendent in a tailored midnight blue suit that accentuated his commanding presence.
The fabric clung to his form, emphasizing the nobility in his bearing. His eyes, though still guarded, reflected a glint of curiosity as he followed Julian out of the dining hall.
Left alone, Lillian returned to her seat in the now hushed hall.
"I didn't..." Lillian began, wanting to talk with Selena, but Selena interrupted.
"I should retire for the night," Selena declared coldly. Her warm countenance vanished as she stood up abruptly, the clicking of her heels echoing through the silence as she exited the dining hall.
Lillian sat alone, her thoughts swirling with questions and uncertainties. The grandeur of the hall felt oppressive in its emptiness.
********
"There are problems at Solara, Dragon," Julian said to Dorian as they entered Dorian's study, a room adorned with rich mahogany furniture and shelves of ancient tomes, dimly lit by a single grand chandelier that hung from the ceiling.
Dorian walked towards the table, his movements exuding a regal grace as he leisurely sat on its polished surface. "What do you mean?" Dorian asked.
"I had a vision. A terrible one. So I had to go back to Solara before coming here," Julian said, pausing for a moment. "When I arrived, I found out that the King has a new advisor."
Dorian shot him a quizzical look.
"The King's new advisor is a sorcerer," Julian confirmed.
"Then tell the King," Dorian grunted. It seemed a straightforward solution. Sorcery was banned, and the penalty was death.
"And you think the King will believe me?" Julian asked in disbelief. "He won't, Dragon. And I can't just go around telling the King that his advisor is a sorcerer. How do I know if he doesn't have him under a spell or something? I could get killed," Julian lamented.
"Well, that's your problem, not mine. Your father made you the Protector of Solara, so be its Protector," Dorian replied, his voice carrying a commanding tone that resonated through the ornate study.
"This is far more significant than Solara, Dragon. I believe it's all connected. First Lillian, and now this. There has to be some kind of connection, one that I can't unravel alone, Dragon," Julian expressed, his voice laced with frustration.
"I need help. Maybe I should send word to the other Protectors before this escalates," Julian suggested to Dorian, who frowned.
"No," Dorian asserted firmly.
"But Drago..."
"I said no." Dorian replied coldly before turning his attention to the closed study door.
"No matter how hard you try, I can still hear your breathing, Selena." Dorian grunted, bewildering Julian. Who's confusion dissipated when Selena walked in, her face marked with a frown.
The evident displeasure in her expression intensified as she walked towards her brother.
"When I mentioned the tournament at Pyralon, urging you to investigate because the prize mirrored the woman of unparalleled beauty from the ritual, you dismissed it, insisted it was false, and only relented after my persistent pleas. And I was proven right," Selena asserted boldly. "Now, you reject the idea of sending word to the other Protectors?"
"I told you to stop eavesdropping; it's not ladylike," Dorian said, dismissing his sister.
Selena scoffed. "I know how much you don't want to be like Father. But sometimes, you're just like him."
Dorian clenched his jaw at her remark. Being referred to as his father was a painful jab, especially because it came from his sister.
The room held its breath as Dorian slowly unclenched his jaw, his gaze piercing through the air like a blade.
"Selena, leave it," he said tersely, his voice betraying the underlying frustration. "I have my reasons, and you prying into every decision I make won't change that."
Selena glared at her brother, her frustration evident, but she chose not to push further. With a huff, she turned on her heel and left the study, the heavy door closing behind her.
Julian, standing like a silent observer, hesitated before speaking. "Dragon, I believe—"
"You should leave," Dorian declared firmly, his voice cutting through the air like a command, as he exited the study without further acknowledgment. The door swung shut behind him, leaving Julian standing alone, his unresolved thoughts echoing in the empty room.