The name landed like a blade drawn from scabbard steel.
Lucavion.
Jesse's breath hitched.
Her eyes widened—not from surprise alone, but something deeper. A crack in the quiet armor she'd worn since stepping into the city. She had expected to chase whispers. Expected silence, not confirmation. Not now. Not like this.
Her heartbeat quickened, breath shallow for a moment as her gaze slowly lifted toward Virelle.
The barkeep hadn't noticed at first—too caught in her memory of the scene—but when she met Jesse's eyes, she paused.
A beat.
Then Virelle chuckled softly, as if easing back into the tale. "He looked cool, I'll tell you that. Dead calm. Not in that cold, cocky way some of the highbloods do it, either. It was like… everything he did made sense. Every movement. Every dodge. Like he was already five steps ahead of everyone in that arena."
Jesse said nothing. Her fingers curled slightly around the rim of her glass.
