Nausea rolled in Lucien's stomach as his feet landed on soft earth. His hand still clasped in Yasha's strong grip.
He yanked his hand away, "I'm not him, you know," he spat. His eyes falling to Caleb with a pointed look.
"Yeah," Yasha nodded, her other hand clutching tightly to Beau's.
"So you have said," Caleb took a step towards him, but the drow, whose hand he still held, pulled against him.
"Caleb," Essek's tone pleaded.
"It's okay," Caleb assured him, pulling away and continuing to crowd into Lucien's space.
"You may not be him, but he is part of you. You are alone now, and I know what it is like to be alone. No one deserves that. Not even you."
"I killed you," Lucien narrowed his eyes. He was lashing out because he was scared, he knew that, but he couldn't help it.
"And yet here I stand, given another chance," Caleb gestured to where Caduceus' family had gathered to meet them.
"I'm not him," Lucien growled again, desperate for Caleb to see it. Maybe Caleb thought he could convince him he was their long-lost speck.
"I'm not asking you to be," Caleb's tone remained calm.
"The only reason I'm here is because I look like him," Lucien hoped the jealousy didn't show through his bitter tone.
"Yes. So consider yourself lucky that some of us couldn't see him die again," Caleb's calm turned harsh.
"Why do you love him so?" Lucien knew the jealousy had breached this time, but it was too late, and he couldn't bring himself to care.
Caleb straightened his shoulders, which were much slimmer without the weight of his coat.
"He was our friend," Caleb knew that wasn't what Lucien had meant but he could feel Essek's eyes on him and that wasn't a conversation he wanted to have in front of the drow.
"Caleb," Caduceus called him over, saving him from Lucien's intrusive questioning.
Lucien allowed himself to be introduced, refusing to give more than a hum in response. He didn't know what the next step was for him. He was sore and tired and weak. His muscles ached and his skin purpled darker in places.
"Perhaps we may reside here for the day? I have a way of setting up our own rooms if we may use your home," Caleb asked Caduceus' father.
Lucien sneered at the idea of stepping into the tower that had been so heavily decorated in memory of a past he didn't remember.
He watched as Caleb got started casting the spell. His eyes met Essek's who were watching him intently.
He hated the drow, almost as much as he hated the speck that had taken his body. But he wasn't sure which he hated more, the fond expression Caleb gave the drow, or the regretful wanton expression he would catch Caleb casting his way.
"Let's rest," Caleb's voice pulled his attention from Essek.
Lucien lingered, not wanting to go inside.
"Lucien," Caleb gestured for him to step in.
Lucien closed his eyes and stepped inside. When he opened them, he found the interior to be much less ostentatious than the last time.
"You were taunting me before. Trying to rile me up," Lucien realized, turning a glare on the wizard. He should have known
"It worked," Caleb smirked.
