It was four days later when Lucian arrived in Southreach.
When The Guard saw his car, they showed no signs of welcome. Instead, their eyes were filled with suspicion.
Lucian saw this crystal clear.
He ground his teeth and sneered, then hopped out of the car and sat on the hood. "I'm the special envoy from Bloodfall United City!" he announced. "Go ask your City Lord if she's going to receive me or not!"
After a short wait, the city gates opened. But it wasn't Maisie Joyce who greeted him; it was Keith Preston.
Lucian hadn't seen him in a while, and Keith Preston looked terribly haggard, with sunken eyes and hollow cheeks.
When he saw Lucian, his gaze was so fervent he looked as if he'd just seen his savior. "Lucian! Quick, get in! What took you so long? Ugh! The men below are clueless, please don't take it to heart! This whole situation is a mess..."
Lucian was taken aback.
'Hasn't this old guy always been wary of me, always found me disagreeable?'
