**Chapter 75: Bridging the Gap**
Selene sat at a corner table in Hell's Kitchen, absently stirring a cup of tea. The buzz of the restaurant around her seemed distant, her mind preoccupied with the challenge of acclimating to this new environment. Lucien, her brother, was close by, chatting with Elise and Lyra as they prepared for the evening service.
She watched him, noting the ease with which he interacted with the others, the warmth in his smile. It felt strange, almost surreal, to see him like this. For so long, she had only observed him from the shadows, her knowledge of his life superficial at best. The Lucien she knew was a distant memory, a fragment of their shared past.
