"Unlock this for me. I need to shower." "I've already cleaned you up." Lucien set the cup aside and brought over the breakfast he'd prepared. "You didn't eat anything yesterday. You must be starving." Even though he'd fed her two tubes of nutrient fluid while she was asleep, Lucien knew Emma preferred real food. She never liked drinking nutrient fluid. Emma looked at the breakfast, putting on a slight frown. "Just now you said you'd take me outside for a walk. "But you won't even unlock these chains. How are you going to take me out? "You must be lying to me." Hearing that, Lucien lifted his hand, gazing at Emma with something like reverence. He let his fingers run through her soft hair, gentle as if she were the world's rarest treasure."How could I ever lie to you?" His voice was a soft murmur, overflowing with gentle affection. "Emma, I'm just scared. "I'm afraid that if I unlock you, you'll leave me. You'll tell me to go back to Aurelian's turf. "So, until I know you're never leaving me, I can't take these off yet." Lucien finished with a gentle, dangerous smile. "But don't worry. I'll make the chain long enough. "You'll be able to move freely in these woods. "As long as I can see you, that's all I care about." Emma was speechless. Looks like asking him to go back to Aurelian's turf really traumatized him. Seeing Emma fall silent, Lucien picked up the spoon and offered her a cooled bite of oatmeal. "Come on, eat something. Aren't you hungry?" Emma opened her mouth and ate the oatmeal.Once breakfast was finished, Lucien dressed her carefully, taking care of everything himself, inside and out. Once she was ready, Emma watched as he picked up a long metal chain and locked the other end to his own wrist. The chain joined their wrists, swinging gently and making soft clinking noises as they moved. Lucien lifted his hand and admired the scene, satisfaction and madness flickering in his black eyes. He looked at Emma, his smile so tender it was almost chilling. "Let's go. Let's have some fun outside." He took her hand, the cold chain brushing against their skin. "You like hunting beasts, don't you? "I picked this place because it's full of powerful beasts. There are plenty to keep you entertained." Emma didn't feel like hunting at all. She looked at Lucien and wiggled her chained wrist. "I'm tired today. I don't want to fight."I'll just watch you do it instead." She wanted to see if Lucien using his ability would make the black fire in his plumage mark fade. "Okay!" Lucien agreed without hesitation. As long as she didn't mention leaving or going back, he'd do anything for her. They left the cabin together. Walking beside him, Emma suddenly asked, "Lucien, do you remember going through Pyreborn?" Lucien stopped in his tracks, turning to glare at her. "Don't say that. I would never undergo Pyreborn. "I'd rather die." He'd need her blood for Pyreborn, and he'd never put her through a blood transfusion. Emma saw his reaction and pressed her lips together. He really didn't remember going through Pyreborn.She asked, "Haven't you noticed your appearance has changed? "Your hair used to be red, now it's black. "Your eyes used to be red too, now they're black. And your plumage mark…" "Emma." Lucien cut her off. "I've always looked like this." "Liar." Emma pouted. "Let me see my lightcore. There are pictures of you on it. "You can check. You definitely didn't look like this before." Lucien looked at her and sighed. He confessed, "Sorry. I lied to you before." Emma stared at him. "What do you mean?" Lucien pulled up a file on his lightcore for her to see. "I never told you… When I was little, I was kidnapped by the Chitinids. "They experimented on me. I was changed."That's why I look different now. "Even my personality changed, too." Emma opened the file. There was a video, lots of data she didn't understand, and a pile of photos. She clicked on the video first. She saw Lucien writhing in pain—his face looked just like it did now. Then she clicked on the photos, seeing him imprisoned in the Chitinid lab. In the pictures, he was strapped to an operating table, his brilliant red wings forced open. Then, countless thin metal probes pierced his body…