Chapter 111: Lucius & Jean.
Jean sat up abruptly, the heavy velvet curtains shrouding her room in darkness, save for a faint glow from the last few embers in the fireplace. Her bed was expansive and grand, made up of deep crimson covers and layers of soft pillows—a luxury she wasn’t accustomed to.
Silver candelabras flickered around the room, casting elongated shadows that seemed to dance on the dark wooden walls. The castle’s opulence was overwhelming, from the carved headboard adorned with intricate floral designs to the faint scent of jasmine and rosewood lingering in the air.
She rubbed her eyes, her fingers catching on the lace sleeves of her white nightgown. This couldn’t be real, she told herself, yet the voice was disturbingly clear.
"Good morning, pumpkin." The words echoed in her mind with a tone both warm and mocking.
She froze, her heart thundering. "No," she whispered to the empty room. "I must be dreaming... Or maybe this room is too stuffy. Yes, that’s it." Jean’s voice trembled, though she tried to keep herself grounded by gripping the carved armrests of a nearby chair.
’You should be happy to hear from me, pumpkin; it is I, Lucius Drake,’ the voice continued with eerie calm.
Jean shot up from the bed, spinning around in search of any trace of the voice’s source. "Lucius... Drake? But you’re... you’re dead!" Her voice wavered, her hand trembling as she clutched the high collar of her gown.
’You seem to want that to be true,’ Lucius murmured with amusement. ’I mean, technically, I am dead—but that’s where you come in.’
"What does that even mean?" Jean muttered, wrapping her arms around herself protectively, as though the thin lace could somehow shield her from whatever was happening. Her mind whirred, the rich, shadowed room feeling far too close, and the flickering candlelight almost mocking her fear.
’Oh, see? You’re beginning to get the hang of it,’ Lucius replied in a tone that was both encouraging and slightly condescending. His words seemed to wrap around her, sinking deep as though his voice had embedded itself directly in her thoughts.
A chill swept over her, and she shook her head vehemently. "This is madness! Lucius Drake is long gone. I’m probably just... I’m adjusting to a new life, a new castle." She hugged herself, whispering, "Yes, it’s all just my imagination..."