Chapter 66

Sienna’s POV

Even later that night, I still couldn’t get Archimedes off my mind. The way his mask sparkled in the light, all of that enigma wrapped up in one man.

Begging for me to figure it all out.

I stood staring at myself in the mirror above the sink, starting to feel really sick. A wave of nausea so intense poured across me, almost debilitating me.

My palms were slick with sweat as I fumbled with the sink, splashing cold water on my face. My stomach twisted like a rag, an acidic taste rising into my throat.

I’m going to throw up.

The floor was cold as my knees slammed onto it, and I barely made it to the edge of the toilet before puking my guts out.

Yes, I was stressed. In fact, stressed was an understatement.

I could be sick from my wound, too. Leaving it like I had wasn’t good for it.

I need more potions, I thought, tired of the burning taste in my mouth. I had to be running a mild fever, some infection still lingering in my blood.

After a while of sitting with my head in a cloth, I heard a thudding at the front door. My head jerked towards it, my nerves spiking.

What if the rogues were back?

I suddenly found my strength, wiping my mouth and splashing my face with cold water, and hurried to the living room.

Where I found Asher stumbling in with Simon in his arms.

“Oh my god!” I cried, shock rocketing through me. “How!?”

I stumbled over, my nausea quickly forgotten, and helped him bring Simon to the couch. His body was so frail, quite malnourished, and covered in bruises.

They must have tortured him.

Of course they tortured him.

My heart ached, looking at his beaten up form knocked out cold on the couch.

“Where?” I turned my eyes to Asher, my voice trembling. “What about Julian?”

“No sign of him,” Asher said hoarsely, shaking his head. “I did smell his scent, briefly, but I think he moved camps. Simon was the only one there.”

“He’s alive,” I exhaled, the nausea returning, twisting briefly in my stomach.

“He needs help.” Asher met my eyes, and I nodded. Simon was on the edge of life, too.

“I’ll mix them,” I murmured, pushing back a second wave of nausea and hurrying to the cellar. The chilled air from the fridges helped calm it, at least for now.

Simon was beaten, malnourished, and probably had some kind of virus being around the rogues. They weren’t exactly the cleanest of us.

I mixed a variety of potions, constantly swallowing back the nausea. Before I left the cellar, I chugged a green bottle, hoping it would stop my stomach from twisting anymore.

There’s a potion for everything, I thought with a smile.

Asher was sitting at Simon’s side when I got back to the living room, propping his head up on a few pillows and wiping it down with a cloth.

“It’s a miracle he’s alive,” Asher murmured, his voice soft like he was afraid it would wake Simon.

I was pretty sure Simon was absolutely knocked out.

“You went north all by yourself?” I said with the shake of my head.

“Didn’t get poisoned this time,” Asher winked, but I could see the exhaustion in his eyes. This had been hard on him.

“So you think Julian is further north still?”

“He definitely is. His scent kept going, along with other rogues.” Asher’s brow furrowed. “I wasn’t up for the challenge of risking that alone.”

Not for him. Those were the unspoken words.

Never for him.

“It’s not our job to bring him back safely.” I said the words neither of us had been able to say at first.

Simon was different - he was one of us. I couldn’t put the weight of Julian’s safety on my shoulders alone.

I had to focus on my own problems.

“Thank you for getting him back.” My words were hoarse, a dizziness swelling through me.

“Are you okay?” As always, Asher could tell that something was wrong with me. He saw straight through my facade and into my heart.

Oh, but you have no feelings for him.

“It’s just been a lot, that’s all,” I smiled weakly, not even trying to cover up my tired. “I really just want to sleep.”

“Get some rest,” he smiled back, and I clearly saw the sadness in his eyes. I wanted to say something about it, to reassure him.

But I just couldn’t.

Once I was in my room, the nausea instantly came back, and I fell onto my sheets, heat building in my cheeks.

And then I woke up, night now falling around me. The house was eerily quiet, my feet dragged on the carpet of the hall before I stepped into the empty dining room.

An envelope sat waiting for me in the middle of the table, illuminated by the edges of the kitchen light.

My heart leapt into my throat, because there was only one person it would be from, and the reminder of his mystery shrouded presence made me sweat.

I reached the table, brushing my fingers over the ribbon tied around the envelope. It was black with a silvery white ribbon, just like the colors of his mask.

My breath held in my throat as I folded it open, a beautiful cursive print in the middle of the bottom section.

Kindly join me for dinner at the Rosenfell at 8pm tomorrow.

The Rosenfell was the most notorious expensive restaurant in the capital city, and my muscles seized. I had nothing to wear that was anywhere near their required attire to even step within ten feet of the place.

Guess I’ll have to figure that one out. Maybe Lucas?

I sighed, thinking of Archimedes out at dinner with me — would he still wear that mask? It drove me mad, wondering what he was like under there.

Tomorrow night, I thought nervously. I had until then to find a suitable outfit and still have time to get ready for a dinner out.

I stared at the words for another minute, thinking about a glass of wine with Archimedes. Not just any glass of wine — a Rosenfell glass of wine. Something people in Nightwind probably dreamed of having but could never get.

Had my parents even been to a place like that? I wasn’t so sure they had.

Find something perfect tomorrow, I told myself. And while you’re there, maybe visit Lucius too?

Too many handsome men in one day, but I could survive it. I wanted to let Lucius know about all of this, tell him about Archimedes and my fascination with him.

But mostly, I just wanted Lucius to be okay. He’d healed so well, though it didn’t stop the guilt that ate away at me, day after day.

At least he wasn’t the one taken.

Rogues would never dare go for Lucius, though. That was a death wish.

I glanced back towards Asher’s room, a wrench of nausea twisting through me, sending me running back to the bathroom.

This stress was getting to be a little too much.