Nine Hot Therians and Their Only One Queen novel Chapter 464

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley**
**Chapter 464: Never Leave**

Lucien bowed his head, fixating on the chain that lay abandoned at his feet. With deliberate slowness, he began to lift his gaze, letting his eyes wander across the desolate room that felt like a cage.

The once-vibrant, phoenix-like eyes that had glimmered softly in the morning light now appeared dull and lifeless, stripped of all their former brightness. The deep, suffocating darkness that replaced it felt like an endless abyss, pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe.

Liar. What fairness is there in this? What gift? It’s all an illusion. She takes back the storage band only to undo my chains, leaving me shackled to this emptiness while she can come and go as she pleases. All I ask for is a few days—just a few days! Is that too much to ask?

A bitter, hollow laugh escaped from Lucien’s pale lips, a sound that echoed with despair. “Heh… heh heh… hahahahahaha…” His laughter grew louder, a wild, chaotic sound that was drenched in self-derision and a sense of hopelessness.

Creak!

The door swung open unexpectedly, breaking the spell of his dark thoughts.

Emma stepped inside, a bright bag adorned with playful cartoon prints clutched in her hands. “What’s with that dreadful laugh so early in the morning? And so loud! I could hear it all the way from the doorway. That doesn’t sound like a phoenix at all. More like a crow!”

Is she back? She… didn’t leave?

Lucien felt as though he had been frozen in place, his body rigid as if under the influence of a powerful spell. His bloodshot eyes widened, fixated on Emma as she set the bag down and approached him with a curious look.

Seeing the turmoil brewing within him, Emma gently poked his cheek with her finger. “What’s wrong? Have you lost your mind?”

The warmth of her fingertip against his icy skin jolted him back to reality, a sharp contrast to the coldness that had enveloped him.

He gazed at Emma, his lips quivering as the storm of emotions that had raged within him crumbled away, leaving behind a crushing wave of hurt. Without a moment’s hesitation, he lunged forward, pouring every ounce of his strength into pulling Emma into a tight, desperate embrace.

Clang!

The chains by the bedside screeched violently under the sudden force, the sharp sound slicing through the silence of the room.

Emma stumbled back, momentarily taken aback by the intensity of his grip, her voice barely breaking through the muffled sobs that escaped Lucien, thick with pain.

She allowed him to hold on as she rummaged through his storage band, pulling out fresh clothes for him to change into. Then, she quickly retrieved the bag she had brought back, pressing it into his arms with a bright smile. “See if you recognize what’s inside.”

Lucien looked down, perplexed, as he opened the bag. Inside were several fist-sized, purplish-red tuber-like fruits he had never encountered before. Confusion clouded his features as he looked back up at Emma.

Her laughter rang out, light and infectious. “These are rare fruits. Back home, we call them sweet potatoes. Don’t let their plain appearance fool you. Roasted, they’re absolutely delightful—sweet and fragrant.”

With a playful nudge, Emma urged him on. “Go wash up. I’ll roast them for you.”

She leaned in and kissed the center of his forehead plumage, a gesture filled with affection. Just as she had anticipated, after their deep conversation the previous night, the black flames in his plumage had dulled slightly today. She noticed that with the black fire fading, Lucien seemed to regain some control over his emotions; he was no longer the chaotic, frantic being he had been just moments before.

As she turned to leave, Lucien’s hand shot out, gripping her waist firmly. “Emma, you’re not leaving, right?”

Emma met his gaze, her expression serious. “No. I swear to the Beast God, I’ll never leave you behind. I won’t go anywhere alone.”