Eva led them through familiar corridors—Julian recognized every painting, every posters, every detail. This had been his ho for the first decades of his life.
The three daughters followed behind, their eyes wide as they took in the luxury and history surrounding them. This was so different from the Throne of Gods.
"Eva," Julian said as they walked, "how have you been? Really?"
His sister's expression beca more complex.
"Honestly? Terrible. After you disappeared, after Mother and Grandmother and Eleanor all vanished, I've been trying to hold things together. Managing the household, representing the family at court, keeping Father and Grandfather from completely falling apart."
She squeezed his hand tighter.
"I'm the eldest. It's my responsibility. But Julian... I was so scared. I thought I would loose my little brother. I thought..." Her voice broke again. "I thought I would never see you again."
Julian pulled her closer as they walked, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "I'm here now. And I'm not going anywhere."
"You better not," Eva said fiercely. "If you disappear again, I'll kill you myself."
They reached a set of double doors leading to their father's study. Eva paused there, taking a deep breath to compose herself.
"Are you ready?" she asked Julian. "Father's going to be... emotional."
"I'm ready," Julian confird.
Eva knocked twice, then opened the doors without waiting for a response.
"Father," she called out, her voice carrying a strange mixture of joy and urgency. "Father, you need to co here. Right now."
From inside the study, a deep voice responded.
"Eva, I'm reviewing the search reports. Unless it's urgent—"
"It's Julian," Eva interrupted. "He's here."
There was a long mont of absolute silence.
Then the sound of a chair scraping against the floor, papers scattering and finally the heavy footsteps rushing toward the door.
A man appeared in the doorway.
His face was similar to Julian's but while Julian was young and vital, this man was weathered by ti and responsibility. Multiple wrinkles lined his face, particularly around the eyes and forehead.
His hair, which had once been the sa blonde as Julian's, was now heavily streaked with white.
But his eyes were sharp, intelligent, and currently filling with an emotion so powerful it threatened to break the man's composure.
Duke Alden Easvil.
Julian's father.
For a long mont, father and son simply stared at each other across the doorway. Alden's face went through a rapid transformation—disbelief, shock, hope, and finally, overwhelming relief.
"Julian?" The na ca out as barely a whisper.
Then sothing broke inside the dignified Duke.
He crossed the distance between them in three long steps and pulled Julian into a crushing hug.
"My boy," Alden's voice cracked completely, tears streaming down his weathered face. "My son. You're alive. You're ho."
Julian felt his own chest tighten with emotion as he held his father. The man was trembling, his body shaking with relieved sobs that he'd probably been holding back for months.
"I'm here, Father," Julian said quietly. "I'm safe. I'm ho."
Alden pulled back just enough to grip Julian's shoulders, his eyes scanning his son's face.
"We searched everywhere," Alden said, his words tumbling out in a rush. "Every forest, every road, every possible location."
His grip tightened on Julian's shoulders.
"I thought—" His voice broke again. "I thought I had lost you. Just like I've lost Regina. Just like Mother is missing."
Julian felt a flash of guilt at that.
"Regina and Mother—Gregoria—they're lost as well, Julian," Alden continued. "The sa night you disappeared, they vanished too. No note, no explanation. It's like the entire family is being torn apart."
He looked at his son with haunted eyes.
"First you, then them. I thought—I feared—that sothing terrible was happening. So curse, so enemy, sothing that was taking my family from one by one."
Julian placed his hands over his father's, eting his eyes steadily.
"They're fine, Father," he said with quiet certainty. "Regina and Gregoria are both safe. I promise you. They're not in danger."
Alden's brow furrowed with confusion. "How do you know? How can you possibly—"
"I can't explain everything right now," Julian interrupted gently. "But I give you my word—they're safe. They're together. And when the ti is right, they'll return or send word. But they're not in danger."
Alden studied his son's face, clearly trying to understand what Julian wasn't saying. But the relief of having Julian back seed to outweigh his confusion about the won.
"I believe you," Alden said finally. "I don't understand, but I believe you."
He pulled Julian into another embrace, this one less desperate but no less emotional.
"Thank the gods you're ho," he whispered. "Thank all the gods."
From inside the study, another voice called out.
"Alden? What's all this commotion? Who's—"
An elderly man appeared behind Alden in the doorway, leaning heavily on a cane. His hair was completely white, his face deeply lined with age, but his eyes were still sharp and alert.
Duke Augustus Easvil. Julian's grandfather.
He peered around Alden, saw Julian, and froze completely.
"Julian?" Augustus's voice was barely audible, trembling with disbelief. "Is that... is that truly you, boy?"
Julian smiled at his grandfather "It's , Grandfather. I've co ho."
The cane clattered to the floor as Augustus's hands flew up, one covering his mouth, the other reaching toward Julian as if to confirm he was real.
"By all the gods," Augustus breathed, tears imdiately filling his ancient eyes. "Our boy. Our Julian."
Alden released Julian enough to allow the old man to approach. Augustus moved with surprising speed despite his age, his hands shaking as they gripped Julian's face.
"We thought you were dead," Augustus said, his voice breaking. "Your father hasn't slept more than an hour since you disappeared. He has been tearing himself apart trying to find you."
Julian felt another pang of guilt. His death and absence had devastated his family in ways he hadn't fully anticipated when he had made the choice to teleport others away for their safety.
"I'm sorry," Julian said quietly. "I'm sorry for the worry I've caused. But I'm here now. I'm safe."
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