As Lucian lay on the roof, lost in his thoughts, a scrawny bat with a ragged wing and a missing ear flitted into his view. With a soft rustle, Lucian’s bodyguard, Boris, perched beside him, his feathered form becoming a shadow against the pale moonlight.
"Running from your responsibilities is not solving them, young prince," Boris remarked, his voice a mix of concern and frustration.
Lucian sat ...