Chapter 498: Battle Of Dura [1]
In a grand bedchamber adorned with tall windows and heavy burgundy drapes, a gray-haired woman sat quietly before a polished silver mirror.
The soft glow of midday filtered through the silk curtains, casting faint patterns on the stone floor. A carved wooden brush lay forgotten on the table before her, its bristles stained with strands of gray hair. In her hands, she held a parchment letter, its seal broken, its words still burning in her mind.
In the corner of the room, a falcon perched inside a wrought-iron cage mounted atop a five-foot-tall wooden pole. Its feathers shimmered faintly in the light as it pecked and preened itself, occasionally tilting its head toward her, as if sensing the storm of emotion within.
Mary’s expression darkened the longer she stared at the letter. Her brows drew close, lips tight, and eyes glassy with restrained fury. Every line of ink seemed to pull her deeper into a silence that had weight.
Then, without warning, the falcon stopped preening. Its keen eyes turned sharply toward the door.
And at that very moment, the door swung open with a low creak, revealing a tall man clad in a rich maroon doublet trimmed with gold. His braided white hair hung over his shoulder like a banner, and a smile tugged at his lips as he stepped inside.
"Isn’t your brother coming?" Lucas asked, his tone light, unaware of the tension steeping the room. "I had the entire castle prepared for his arrival. My father and siblings are already here."
He approached Mary, the warmth in his voice gently nudging against her silence. But she didn’t look at him.
"He’s not." Her voice came out flat and cold, as if the words had frozen in her throat before escaping.
Lucas stopped mid-step. The smile vanished. A faint crease formed between his brows as the weight of her tone struck him.