Chapter 71

• Lucas drops the last of the luggage with a loud thud, the sound echoing through the dimly lit corridor. I flinch at the noise but don’t look back at him. I don’t want to. The empty ache in my stomach reminds me that I haven’t eaten all day, but I shake my head when he gestures toward the dining hall. The less time I spend with him, the better.
• “I’m not hungry,” I say, my voice neutral, almost distant.
• He exhales through his nose, a quiet but sharp sound of frustration. I ignore it and turn toward my bedroom, eager to disappear behind the heavy wooden door. The moment I move, however, I hear the telltale sound of his boots against the floor. Then, in the space of a breath, Lucas steps in front of me, blocking my path.