Chapter 6: The walls
A few hours had passed since the painful episode, and the room had been quiet except for the occasional shifting of chairs and soft murmurs between the physician and Lucas’s parents. When Lucas finally stirred awake, his head still throbbed, but the chaos in his mind had settled enough for him to make one thing clear to himself—he needed to get out. He needed air. He needed to think.
Without hesitation, he pushed himself up, his body still weak, but his determination unwavering. His voice came out firm, cutting through the silence.
"I want to go outside. I want to take a walk... alone."
Elder Gideon, who had been sitting near the bedside, immediately turned to face him, his brows furrowing. "Absolutely not," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument. "You just woke up. Your body is still too weak, and you are in no condition to be wandering around unsupervised."
Lucas clenched his jaw, frustration boiling inside him. He had barely had a moment to breathe since waking up in this world, and now they wanted to confine him like some fragile doll. He couldn’t take it anymore.
His voice rose, harsher than he intended. "I said I’m going, and nobody’s stopping me!"
The sudden outburst caught everyone off guard. Even Lady Mariana flinched slightly at the force behind his words. Selene, who had been sitting quietly nearby, stood up with concern in her eyes.
"Xavier, please," she said, stepping closer. "If you need air, then let me go with you. You shouldn’t be alone in this state."
But Lucas shook his head, his patience already wearing thin. "I want to be alone," he repeated, this time with finality.