"Why--" No, that's a stupid question, and Lucian tries his best to catch his breath. He's a schoolteacher, not someone strong like a dock worker, and he's cold and confused and his stomach is doing leaps for reasons he doesn't even know. All he knows is that he needs to stop this guy from doing...

..Anything. Doing anything.

They were on a bridge, now, and Lucian snaps out of staring at Dane only because a carriage whizzes past them. There's Lucian, looking richer than he is, looking far less frazzled than he really is, but he can't help the wild concern in his eyes as he takes a few steps forward. Not enough to scare Dane off.

"How did you know?"