Chapter 421: May His Soul Find Peace

When Lilith’s breathing evened out into sleep, Lucian looked up and met Sebastian’s gaze.

Neither of them spoke for a long moment.

Sebastian was the one who finally broke the silence.

"She’s going to blame herself," Sebastian said quietly.

"I know," Lucian agreed.

"We’ll have to convince her otherwise."

"I know that too."

Sebastian ran a hand through his hair and let out a slow breath. He looked exhausted. Like he had not slept in days. Which he probably had not.

"I should take her to her room," Lucian said. "Let her rest somewhere more comfortable than this."

He stood carefully, adjusting Lilith in his arms so her head rested against his shoulder.

***

Elena, who had been standing quietly near the wall this entire time, stepped forward.

"Is she alright?" Elena asked softly. "Can I check her?"

Lucian nodded and held still while Elena placed her hand on Lilith’s forehead.

White light pulsed briefly from Elena’s palm. She closed her eyes, reading whatever the magic told her about Lilith’s condition.

After a moment, Elena opened her eyes and stepped back.

"She’s stable," Elena said. "Her body is adjusting to having her soul back. The resurrection was violent but successful. She’ll need rest. Probably several days of it. But she’ll recover."

"Good," Lucian said.

He looked at Sebastian. "I’m staying with her. Make sure the pack knows she’s alive."

Sebastian nodded. "I’ll handle it."

Lucian turned and walked out of the ice room with Lilith held securely against his chest.

Sebastian watched him go, then looked around at the destroyed room. Broken glass everywhere. Shattered windows letting in cold air. The stone table where Lilith had lain dead for three days.

Where Nicholas had made his final choice.

Sebastian took a breath and turned to Elena.

"When is Victoria coming back?" he asked.

"Soon," Elena said. "The resurrection is complete. Lilith is awake. Victoria will be leaving the Underworld now if she has not already. She should be back within the hour."

"We’ll need her here," Sebastian said. "In case there are complications with Lilith. In case resurrection has side effects we did not prepare for."

"I’ll make sure she knows to come directly here when she returns," Elena promised.

Sebastian nodded. He looked at the ice room one more time, then turned and walked out.

There was work to do and responsibilities to handle.

Nicholas was gone but the world kept turning.

And Sebastian had to keep turning with it.

***

Lucian carried Lilith through the estate corridors in silence.

Pack members stopped and stared as he passed. Some looked relieved. Some looked confused. All of them looked like they wanted to ask questions but did not quite dare.

Lucian ignored them all.

He reached Lilith’s room and pushed the door open with his shoulder.

The room looked untouched. Like she had only been gone for a few hours instead of three days. The bed was made. Her belongings were still scattered on the dresser. Everything exactly as she had left it.

Lucian crossed to the bed and laid Lilith down gently on top of the covers.

She stirred slightly in her sleep but did not wake. Just curled onto her side with one hand tucked under her cheek.

For a moment, Lucian just stood there looking at her.

Alive. Breathing. Back from death.

Because Nicholas had traded himself.

Lucian felt something twist in his chest. Grief and gratitude and anger all mixed together in a way that made it hard to breathe.

"You stupid, noble bastard," Lucian thought toward wherever his brother had gone, if he had gone anywhere at all. "You really did it. You really gave everything."

He sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to brush a strand of hair away from Lilith’s face.

"He loved you," Lucian said quietly even though she could not hear him. "More than I think any of us realized. Enough to walk into death without hesitation. Enough to choose your life over his own."

His hand moved to rest on her shoulder.

"I don’t know if I can love anyone that much," Lucian admitted. "But I’m going to try. I’m going to take care of you the way he would have. I’m going to make sure his sacrifice was not wasted."

Lilith’s breathing stayed steady and even.

Lucian kicked off his shoes and lay down beside her on the bed. He pulled her carefully into his arms and held her close.

Not because he thought she would disappear. But because holding her made Nicholas’s choice feel real. Made the sacrifice feel like it had actually accomplished something.

Lilith was here. Warm and alive and breathing.

And Nicholas was not.

Lucian closed his eyes and let himself rest.

Tomorrow there would be questions. Decisions. A pack to lead without their Prime.

But tonight....

Tonight he would just hold the girl his brother had died for.

And hope that was enough.

***

*Ice Room*

Elena stood alone in the destroyed ice room after both Alphas left.

She looked at the empty stone table. At the broken glass scattered across the floor. At the shattered windows letting in cold night air.

The resurrection had worked.

Lilith was alive.

But the cost....

Elena closed her eyes and whispered a prayer.

Not to the Moon Goddess. That deity had done enough damage with curses and divine punishment.

To whoever might be listening. Whatever force in the universe cared about sacrifice and love and choices that broke the people who made them.

"May his soul find peace. May his sacrifice be honored. May his memory live in the hearts of those who loved him."

When she finished, Elena opened her eyes and began cleaning.

She swept the broken glass into piles. Closed the windows that were still intact. Dismantled what remained of the preservation spells.

Making the room functional again.

Because life continued. Even when it felt like it should not.

As she worked, Elena’s thoughts turned to Victoria.

Still in the Underworld. Still with Thalia. Still carrying the weight of whatever price would be demanded.

"Another storm coming," Elena thought.