Lucien's brows furrowed.
He didn't approach immediately. Instead, he observed, arms crossed. The man leaned a little closer to her, saying something that made her laugh again, this time softer. Liora's fingers brushed the edge of his sling, adjusting it with gentle precision.
"I see you're healing well, Lord Rowan," she said, her voice polite but warm.
"Thanks to you," he replied, his eyes on her, not his arm.
Lucien stepped forward. "And thanks to the king's medicine stores, I presume."
The words cut clean through the air.
Liora blinked and straightened, her demeanor shifting. "Your Highness."
Rowan looked up, his posture instantly more formal, though his expression didn't lose its edge. "Prince Lucien."
Lucien gave a brief nod, his eyes narrowing. "You're feeling well enough to flirt. I suppose your pain has truly subsided."
"I was merely expressing gratitude," Rowan said evenly, though his tone carried a slight challenge.
