#Chapter 80 - Staking His Claim

[Lucian’s POV] That poor excuse for a meeting could not have ended any faster if I tried. What really set me off was not Halvyr’s excessive whining but watching Julius wander off. I noticed the perturbed look on his face when he suddenly decided to make a hasty exit from the room. My heart jolted in my chest, knowing that he was likely going after Violet. I nearly stumbled off the damn throne and rushed after him but I couldn’t. Not without raising a lot of suspicion. I closed out the meeting and openly apologized to the majority of the noblemen who had wasted their afternoon. Just as I impatiently watched the last dignitary leave, I felt a rush of raw emotion strike me right in the chest. It was a light wave of uneasiness that quickly grew to fear. “Violet,” I whispered under my breath. Dmitrius told me that due to the growing bond, I would be able to sense Violet’s emotions. Wherever she was, she was experiencing trepidation and deep uncertainty. I tore out of the