The chaos of the crowd slowly subsided as that terrifyingly powerful pheromone dissipated into nothingness.
But that was precisely when Lucian lost his composure. He could no longer sense Seraphina's pheromone nearby.
Without a moment's hesitation, he pushed through the crowd and bolted toward the stables.
Theobald, who had just regained his bearings, immediately sensed that something was wrong upon seeing Lucian's frantic urgency. He hurried after him, but Lucian didn't look back, only hurled a blade-sharp command over his shoulder.
"Don't follow me."
"What? Lucian—"
"Hold everyone back. No one is allowed to pursue me!"
Leaving no room for argument, Lucian mounted his horse and charged headlong into the vast, shadowy forest.
Theobald slowed to a halt, watching Lucian's silhouette swallowed by the forest's gaping black maw. He had no choice but to obey. Turning back, he ordered the guards to heighten their alert.
"Track that pheromone down, now!"
