He left.

Lucian retreated to the guest room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

Why did I react like that? He thought, his crimson eyes narrowing. His fists clenched at his sides as he recalled the way Silvion had looked at Aeliana. His movements, his words—they had been too smooth, too calculated. But was that enough to justify his outburst?

"Was I… jealous?" he muttered to himself. His lips curled into a self-deprecating smirk. He, a Demon Lord, feared across realms, jealous of an Elven noble? The thought would have been laughable if it didn't sting so much.

Lucian shook his head and paced across the room, his boots clicking softly against the polished floor. Or was it insecurity? He stopped and stared at his reflection in a tall mirror, his crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. He saw the horns he kept hidden, the aura of darkness that even his charm spells couldn't fully mask.

"She grew up surrounded by men like him," Lucian whispered. Silvion, with his elegance and charm, was everything Lucian was not. He was a part of her world, someone who shared her lineage, her customs. Lucian's grip on his emotions tightened. What if she realizes I don't belong in her life? What if she… regrets choosing me?

The thought gnawed at him, twisting his insides. He forced himself to take a deep breath, his gaze hardening. "No," he said aloud. "I can't let that happen. We have come too far to back down now."

Meanwhile, back in the hall, Silvion approached Aeliana with his usual grace, his silvery hair catching the lantern light like spun moonlight. "My dear cousin," he said warmly, his green eyes scanning the crowd before settling on her. "Where has your charming fiancé gone? I was hoping to have a word with him."

Aeliana hesitated, glancing in the direction Lucian had gone. "He… just needed a minute to himself," she said, her voice uncertain.

Silvion tilted his head, his expression thoughtful. "I see. The pressures of these gatherings can be… overwhelming for some," he said, his tone neutral but with a hint of something she couldn't quite place. He extended a hand toward her. "In the meantime, may I accompany you? It seems you've been left to fend for yourself."

Aeliana froze. There was something unnerving about Silvion's request.

Silvion smiled faintly, lowering his hand. "Of course," he said smoothly. "If my company makes you uncomfortable, you can decline. I wouldn't want to impose."

Aeliana is then taken aback by a strange carriage and a dark figure about to enter it.

 That's impossible… Lucian is still here. Isn't he? She thought contemplating on whether who it is someone she knows.

"Just… give me a moment." She excused herself from Silvion.

Lucian's POV

Sitting in the guest room, Lucian stared at his reflection in the mirror, his emotions a tangled mess. His thoughts raced as he replayed the evening, the unease he felt around Silvion, and his own jealousy that had bubbled to the surface. He wasn't proud of how he'd acted—dragging Aeliana away like a possessive fool. That wasn't who he wanted to be, not for her.

"I need to step back," he muttered to himself, rising from the bed. The moonlight streaming through the window cast long shadows across the room, and for a moment, Lucian let his eyes linger on the silver light.

Space, maybe that's what we both need. Space to grow, to process this union without the noise of everyone else's opinions. He clenched his fists, his resolve firming. "I'll return. I just… need time to think."

As he quietly slipped out of the room and made his way to the courtyard, he summoned one of his personal carriages, imbued with dark magic to travel swiftly across realms. His second-in-command, Malion, appeared briefly to question him, but Lucian waved him off. "I'm not abandoning her, Mal," he said, his voice low and calm. "I'll be back. I just need to clear my head."

The horses, shrouded in shadows, pawed at the ground restlessly as Lucian stepped into the carriage. Before departing, he cast one last glance toward the party, where he knew Aeliana was still mingling with her kin. He raised a hand in a small wave, knowing she might see it, but not waiting for her reaction. With a flick of his wrist, a portal opened before the carriage, swallowing it whole as he disappeared into the night.

Aeliana's POV

The sound of Silvion's voice broke through Aeliana's thoughts. "Isn't that dark figure by any chance, your fiancé leaving?"

 It was Lucian. He waved at her before stepping into the carriage.

"He left me," she whispered a mere whimper, the realization hitting her like a blow to the chest. A tear slipped down her cheek, unnoticed until Silvion's gently offered her a silken handkerchief with his intials.

"Come now, cousin," Silvion said softly, his voice a mix of comfort and charm. "You mustn't put it to heart. Perhaps he simply forgot something important and needed to tend to it immediately."

"H-he left me behind...,"

Silvion gave her a sympathetic smile. "Nonsense, cousin. Don't fret, he will be back."

"But until then, let us return to the soiree. There's no need to let his sudden departure cast a shadow over the evening."

Aeliana hesitated, glancing back toward where the carriage had disappeared. Her mind raced with questions and doubts. Why would he leave without saying anything? Did I do something wrong? Was this his way of pulling back from all of this? From me?

But Silvion's touch and his words grounded her, even if only for a moment. She took a deep breath and nodded, forcing herself to smile. "You're right," she said, though her heart felt heavy. "Let's go back."

As they walked together, Aeliana couldn't shake the feeling of abandonment that gnawed at her. But even beneath that pain, another thought lingered—a determination to understand why Lucian had left and to confront him when he returned. Whatever his reason, he owed her that much.

Silvion raised an eyebrow but didn't press her further. "Of course. Take your time."

Aeliana nodded and stepped away, her mind racing.