Leo couldn't shake the feeling that Lucian really didn't like him.
While he was warm and jovial with his daughter, every glance he cast in Leo's direction was filled with malice and disapproval. It was clear he was not impressed with a boy getting close to his daughter.
Lucian tolerated Morgan because he knew the guilt she carried over Lily's mother, his wife. That gave him leverage. Leo had nothing. Not even a na to hold over him. Yet judging by the way Lily had spoken of him, he was soone powerful, soone who could easily beco a problem. That alone made Lucian's presence at the table a storm waiting to break.
The al had been Lucian's idea, insisting Lily and Morgan sit with him, dragging Leo along in the process. Morgan seed preoccupied with her own thoughts and offered little in the way of conversation, forcing Leo to fill in the silence. He spoke of their adventures, their struggles, their victories, trying to sound casual, but every sentence felt like it was being weighed against him.
Lucian's gaze hardened the mont Adam's na surfaced. From the way Leo and Lily spoke, Lucian could not decide who posed a bigger threat to his daughter's safety. Was it Leo, whose quiet strength and apparent connection to Luna hinted at sothing dangerous, or was it this Adam, whose reputation and influence seed to overshadow even Leo's?
"Tell ," Lucian said finally, his voice low and sharp, "what are your intentions with my daughter?"
Leo choked back a laugh, then swallowed it down. This was not the conversation he had expected when agreeing to co along. A part of him wanted to joke his way out, but the intensity in Lucian's eyes kept him from doing so. He felt his throat tighten, as if he had swallowed sand.
"I… I don't—" Leo began.
"You don't what?" Lucian pressed, leaning forward, the muscles in his jaw tight. "You don't intend to court her? You don't plan to protect her? Or are you just another boy who thinks he can flirt with her and disappear without consequence?"
Lily stiffened beside him, cheeks burning. She opened her mouth, about to intervene, to plead with her father, but Lucian ignored her entirely. His focus was sharp, fixed on Leo.
"You should stop," Lily whispered, her voice almost pleading, but her father did not turn toward her.
"You will answer ," Lucian said, and there was no room for compromise.
Leo blinked and tried to make sense of what he was being asked. Court her? Protect her? He had never considered that he needed to formalize anything with her. All he could think about was the safety of Lily and everyone else who had chosen to follow him.
"I… I care about her," Leo said finally, voice steady. "But not in the way you are asking. I… I just want to make sure she is safe. And the others who are with us. I feel responsible for them. I do not know what will happen in the world outside or inside, but I will do everything I can to protect them. That is all I can promise. That is all I am thinking about."
Lucian's eyes narrowed, studying him. There was a pause, long enough for Leo to feel the weight of it pressing down on him. Lucian leaned back slightly and let his fingers tap against the table. "And you speak honestly. You are not flattering . You are not exaggerating. You do not hide behind polite words."
Leo shrugged, feeling a little awkward under the intensity of the stare. "I… I am not hiding anything. I just… I care about them. That is all. I cannot think about anything else. That is what matters to ."
Lucian stared at him a mont longer, his lips pressed into a thin line. Then he let out a long, low sigh and shook his head almost imperceptibly. "You really are like your sister," he said quietly.
Leo blinked. His head tilted in confusion. He did not understand what Lucian ant.
Lily, on the other hand, froze. Her cheeks burned, her hands twisting in her lap. She had never heard her father speak like that. He was serious, almost reverent. Her expression lit up, a combination of embarrassnt and delight flooding her features.
"What do you an?" Leo asked finally. "Like my sister? I—"
Lucian waved a hand, cutting him off without raising his voice. "Do not question it. You are steadfast, honest, and unflinching. You do not bend under pressure. That is what I see. That is what matters."
Leo felt a strange mixture of relief and confusion. He had been bracing himself for judgnt, for anger, maybe even for dismissal. Instead, Lucian seed to be acknowledging sothing he had not expected.
"You… approve of ?" Leo asked cautiously.
Lucian's eyes t his with a calm but penetrating gaze. "I am not saying that I approve lightly. You have faced my questions directly. You have not flinched. You speak honestly. That is more than I could have expected. That is enough for now."
Lily exhaled, the tension leaving her in a rush. She tried to hide her smile, her face hot with embarrassnt and happiness at the sa ti. She glanced at Leo, her eyes sparkling. She had known he was courageous, but seeing her father acknowledge it in his own way was sothing she had never imagined.
Leo let out a long breath he did not realize he had been holding. He could feel the muscles in his shoulders relax slightly, though the intensity of Lucian's presence still made his heart pound. He was relieved, yes, but he also felt a new sense of responsibility. Lucian had recognized his honesty and his dedication, but now there was an unspoken expectation that he would continue to uphold it.
"I will not let them down," Leo said quietly. "I will protect them. That is all I can do. That is all I am thinking about."
Lucian nodded slowly, his eyes lingering on Leo for a long mont. "That is enough. I see now why Lily values your presence. You are steadfast. You are reliable. You carry responsibility in a way few can understand. That is all a father can ask for. For now, that is all I will ask of you."
Lily looked down at her lap, still embarrassed, her cheeks flushing bright red. She wanted to speak, to say sothing, but the words caught in her throat. She had never expected her father to show this kind of approval so directly. She looked at Leo and smiled faintly, knowing that he had passed so invisible test in her father's eyes.
Leo, for his part, still felt a mixture of relief and wonder. The interrogation had been intense, and he had expected anger or dismissal. Instead, Lucian's acknowledgnt of his honesty, his courage, and his sense of responsibility had granted him sothing far more valuable than approval. It was recognition from soone who would not be impressed easily.
And in that mont, Leo understood that earning Lucian's trust did not require him to be charming or clever. It required only that he remain true to his own feelings and his own sense of duty. That had been enough.
Lucian's gaze softened, but only slightly, and he returned to his al. The storm that had lood over the table dissipated, leaving a sense of calm and quiet respect in its place. Leo exhaled again, letting the tension leave him slowly. Lily's face remained bright with embarrassnt and joy, a silent acknowledgnt of her father's rare praise.
For the first ti since he had arrived at the table, Leo felt a strange weight lift from his chest. He had faced Lucian's scrutiny and had spoken honestly. He had stood by his feelings and his sense of responsibility. He had passed the test without even knowing it had been a test.
And for now, that was enough.
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