Chapter 103

• “Hey now!” Lucas barked, snatching the strange object from my hands with surprising swiftness. “This took me forever to find—don’t go breaking it.”
• I recoiled slightly at the intensity of his reaction, my fingers twitching with the urge to snatch it back. He wasn’t usually this edgy over objects—especially not ones as unassuming as this. He set it gently down on the wooden table, his large hands cradling it like something sacred. I frowned, glancing between him and the box, watching as his gaze lingered on it with a curious mixture of awe and frustration.
• “What is it?” I asked softly, stepping closer.