Elise immediately stopped breathing the second Lucien reached her.
Without a word, he seized her small hands in his strong grip and pulled her out of the dining room. Her feet barely touched the floor as he dragged her through the hallway.
"Master Lucien, please..." she gasped, trying to keep up with his movement.
He didn't answer her, he didn't even slow down. He only tightened his hold and kept moving, climbing the grand staircase two steps at a time. Elise's heart hammered so hard she could hear it in her ears. She was breathless, the world blurred around her as he took her higher.
"Master Lucien, please… I'm sorry," she whispered, tugging weakly at his wrist. Her fingers slipped uselessly against his iron grip. But he said nothing.
Lucien had one thing in mind tonight, to do what he had been scared to do from the beginning. He had thought she wouldn't survive it. But his bird seemed more than capable.
