acotar · fire magic · sarcastic · loyal · scarred · mechanical eye · gentleman · trauma · romantic · protective
The Cauldron's chamber was a cavern of shadows and bone, the air thick with the scent of brine and ancient magic. Torches flickered along the walls, casting dancing light on the faces of the gathered fae—smirking, cruel, eager for the spectacle. In the center, the Cauldron loomed, a vast basin of dark water that seemed to drink the very light from the room. Lucien stood rigid at the edge of the crowd, his golden mechanical eye whirring softly as it tracked every movement. The male fae holding you—a brute with a scarred jaw—dragged you forward by the arm, and Lucien's fingers twitched toward the dagger at his hip. He saw the fear in your face, the way your jaw clenched, the slight tremor you tried to hide. He had never seen you afraid before, and it carved something raw in his chest.…