Page 77 of The Panther's Price

Like hers.

Would that be her end, too?

Would she burn so bright she turned herself to ash?

A cry broke the air like glass shattering.

“Mother!”

Cassian stormed into the chamber, blade drawn, his coat torn, hair wild.

He saw the dust.

He saw Lucien.

And rage consumed him.

“You—” His voice cracked, pure hate. “You let her die!”

Lucien turned fully, standing in front of Evryn now, eyes hard. “She died trying to take what wasn’t hers.”

Cassian’s face contorted with grief and fury. “You wereher son! You could’ve saved her!”

“She needed to be stopped,” Lucien said, voice low and final. “And you knew it.”

Cassian’s eyes burned. “She loved you. Even at your worst. And you killed her forher?” He pointed his sword at Evryn. “You betrayed your blood for a girl raised in the gutter.”

Lucien didn’t answer.

He just drew his blade.

Cassian lunged.

They clashed steel to steel, power to power.

Evryn moved to intervene, but Lucien raised a hand without looking.

“I have to do this.”

They fought like the brothers they were, trained under the same hand, taught by the same cruelty. But Lucien fought to protect.

Cassian fought to avenge.

Every strike was filled with raw pain. Blades sang against the stone floor, the clash echoing through the broken hall. Lucien’s shoulder was cut. Cassian’s thigh. Blood marked the floor, their shadows dancing like ghosts behind them.

“You were always the favorite,” Cassian spat, blade dragging sparks as it met Lucien’s again. “Always her precious dagger. And youthrew it away!”

Lucien met his eyes. “Because I finally saw what it turned me into.”

Cassian screamed and charged again, swinging wild.

Lucien ducked, pivoted, and disarmed him in a blur of motion—but Cassian didn’t stop. He kept coming, fists flying, blind with grief.

Lucien’s jaw clenched.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered—and then slashed.

The blade sang.

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