"Evelyn won’t like it if you keep your eyes on me like that. You had your chance, you ruined it, now sit back."

"..."

And Sarah’s face twitched again.

"...I never wanted the chance.

Go away."

She rolled her eyes.

"I am at my position, Black. You are not."

Those words made Sarah’s mouth twitch even more. Then, she stomped away in frustration. She wouldn’t talk to him now.

Lucian smiled as he watched her leave. He then looked at Evelyn, who was having her final touch-up done.

Then—

[Final check.]

[Positioned.]

Alaric answered first.

[Left side clear.]

Sarah answered next.

[No residue.]

Elise followed.

[Medical is staying with the extraction line.]

Lucian nodded.

[Cross?]

Clara called out.

"Side stage clear."

Lucian smiled.

"Audience normal, staff movement matches file.

Evelyn looks beautiful."

For a short moment, the comm remained silent. Lucian couldn’t exactly see their reactions, not that he cared. His focus had already shifted to Evelyn, then back to the stage.

The studio lights shifted, the audience began clapping.

Nolan Faye walked onto the stage.

The crowd reacted immediately. Nolan was good, Lucian could see that. He moved with an easy, experienced comfort. He smiled, waved, adjusted his jacket, and waited just long enough for the applause to settle before speaking.

Lucian observed him for a moment. Steady heartbeat, controlled breathing, no nervousness.

’Yep, still normal.’

He nodded in his head.

Nolan, on the other hand, turned towards the main camera.

"Good evening, everyone, and welcome back to The Night Desk. Tonight, we have someone with us who needs no introduction, which is very inconvenient because introducing people is half my job."

The audience laughed.

"She has sold out arenas across the world, has a habit of sitting at the top of the charts, and just last week, she made half the internet cry just by smiling during one song.

Please welcome—

The Evelyn Starling."

The studio erupted. Evelyn walked onto the stage and the people nearly lost their minds. Evelyn’s craze was still as strong as ever.

She truly was a Queen when she was on the stage.

’Unlike when she’s in her bed...’

Lucian smiled inwardly. His mind couldn’t help but recall that nefariously beautiful sight of wet Evelyn lying beneath him, kissing his cock.

For a moment, his lower body twitched, but he killed that feeling. Right now was not the time. For now, he needed to focus on keeping Evelyn safe.

He watched her from a distance. Evelyn smiled at the audience, waved, and walked toward Nolan.

"Thank you for coming."

Nolan smiled.

"Thank you for having me."

"After your concert, I honestly expected you to cancel everything for a month and communicate only through blankets and soup."

"That sounds tempting."

Evelyn laughed.

"See? I have good ideas. No one listens."

The two laughed as they sat on their chairs.

The interview began smoothly.

Nolan kept the questions light. He asked about the concert, about her newest album, about the moment the crowd sang back to her so loudly she had stopped singing for a few seconds. Evelyn answered with a practiced smile.

When Nolan asked if she still got nervous before walking onto stage, Evelyn smiled and said,

"Every time."

Nolan leaned forward.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Good. That is comforting. I assumed famous people had evolved past fear and taxes."

The audience laughed.

Evelyn shook her head.

"No, the fear remains."

"And taxes?"

"Unfortunately."

Nolan looked at the camera.

"There it is, people.

Evelyn Starling: singer, icon, taxpayer."

The audience laughed louder.

Lucian also noted that while hundreds of people still stared at her in admiration and desire, no Energy was gathering.

’So it only activates when she sings?’

Lucian thought inwardly. This was one of his stronger, more plausible theories that he had come up with after observing her for a week.

Nolan and Evelyn, on the other hand, continued their conversation.

Tonight, with the contract in place, Lucian would finally know whether that ocean had a path now.

Evelyn’s gaze shifted toward him briefly during one of Nolan’s jokes. Though Evelyn’s gaze constantly shifted towards him, making sure he was here.

And Lucian made it a mission to get a reaction out of her.

This time, when she looked at him, he was doing a break dance. Evelyn’s lips twitched. She hid it quickly, thinking no one had noticed it, but Nolan did and he—

"You look amused."

He commented.

"I do?"

"Mhm, how do I say it? You look... happier, more cheerful than normal."

Those words made Evelyn smile.

"I am."

And the moment she said those words, a big, knowing smile appeared on Nolan’s face. It was almost as if he could practically see the next clip going viral.

"Is it because of a certain purple-eyed bodyguard? There is a qui—"

Zzzrrpp

That was when a sudden sound came from above the audience.

Lucian’s head turned. The next instant, the studio lights flickered, then sparks burst from the lighting rig above the rear audience section.

And the next instant—

BAM

A burning piece of equipment tore loose and fell beside a chair with a violent crash, scattering flames and hot fragments across the row.

"Aaaahhhhhhh!!!"

"FIRE!!"

Someone screamed, panic rose, chairs scraped backwards, people stood up, some began pushing others to move out, alarms rang, and red emergency light flashed across the set.

"What—what happened!?"

Nolan stood up in panic. Evelyn, however, was comparatively calmer because Lucian was already standing next to her, holding her wrist.

"The show’s over."

Lucian announced. Evelyn did not resist.

The rest of the show was the responsibility of the producers and whatnot. Cameras cut, other managers started passing instructions.

"Get the audience out!"

"Cut the feed!"

"Move, move!"

Normal guards rushed toward the audience, forming lines and forcing people toward the marked exits. Studio staff tried to keep the panic from turning into a crash.

Enclave people moved as well.

[Cross, move her. The backstage route is still open.]

Clara instructed and Lucian moved.

Since he was the one who approved all the routes, he knew what route Clara was talking about and where exactly it was. Alaric appeared at the base of the stage as well, clearing the way. Lucian held Evelyn closer and moved.

She didn’t get the opportunity to sing, they couldn’t test the contract or see how it worked, but none of that mattered right now.

The only thing that mattered was Evelyn’s safety because Lucian’s instincts were warning him.

Orpheus was here.