Chapter 74

Sienna’s POV

I felt more alone than I ever had, thinking about Asher walking away with me.

Thinking about the fact that Lucius and I had barely spoken since a day or two after the attack.

Realizing that Prince Alaric was here, the answers I so desperately sought out now in my reach.

I had to go down to the palace and see him. It was the only way to quell the growing tension in my body, tension that couldn’t be good for me.

After all, it wasn’t just me I had to take care of now.

My fingers brushed over my stomach, a shaky breath making its way out of my lips. I wished, so deeply, that my mother was there to comfort me.

I pulled out my phone, my fingers trembling as I typed out a text to Archimedes, asking if he was free to meet.

Ten minutes passed where I stared at the screen, waiting for the bubble of dots to pop up, but it never came. Normally, he’d answer me right away, and I’d come to rely on that.

It seemed like I really was alone now. Watching for his response only made me feel more pathetic, so I tossed my phone down, strolling into my parent’s office to take a look at all the mail from the last few days.

I hadn’t been sitting more than three minutes when I began to fidget, my focus quickly waning.

So I wandered back out to the front of the house, grabbing my phone — which had no messages — and opened a text to Lucius.

The second I did, a message from Archimedes popped up.

My apologies, dear Sienna, but I’m out of the country right now. Are you alright?

A sob swelled in my throat, part relief and part sadness for the fact that he was away and I wouldn’t be able to see him.

I thought for a moment before responding.

I’m not the best, but I’ll manage. I hope you have a nice time away.

The little dots popped up a second later, a tiny smile cracking its way across my stiff face.

When I’m back, we can get together, yes?

My heart leapt, desperate for the company, though I didn’t let that show in my response.

I’d love that.

The dots popped up, then disappeared, never returning. I guess that was the end of that conversation.

I sighed, staring at the screen for a few minutes before returning to my text to Lucius.

Hey, old friend. Could we meet up?

I set my phone down on the table, looking everywhere else but at it, refusing to let myself watch for a response again.

It buzzed, and I picked it up so fast that it slipped out of my sweaty palms, clattering to the floor.

A hairline crack ran across the screen, and the tightness in my throat grew.

I’m not going to cry, I’m not going to cry, I’m not —

I said it over and over until the swell faded and I could finally take a deep breath in, steadying myself.

Happy to, Lucius’ message read. I can come to you. When?

Now? I texted back, my hands trembling slightly. Company would be good for me, though I wasn’t sure how Lucius was going to be.

Something had felt off with us all since the attack, the worst of it focused on Asher and Lucius. I wanted to press what it was, but I didn’t want to be like Mia, nosing her way into everyone’s business.

Clearly I wasn’t trusted to be told the secrets that had so obviously been kept from me. That hurt, yet at the same time, it was expected.

I’d been hounded from the start about my age and lack of experience. No one had any idea just how much my parents had taught me over the years, and I found that entirely unfair.

I’d never been given a chance as an Alpha, and I’d fought so hard to hold my place the way I had.

I had this ominous feeling it was all coming to an end soon. My timer was running out.

And your wolf is still gone, I admitted, missing it almost as much as I missed my parents. There wasn’t a single sign anywhere within me that it was coming back, and that struck a chord in my fragmented soul.

I pulled myself from my dark and lonely thoughts, seeing Lucius had responded that he’d head over.

He arrived only a few minutes later, and quite immediately I could feel the distance between us — it was exactly what I hoped wouldn’t be.

“Hi,” I said hoarsely, stepping back to let him inside. He’d healed up nicely, the paleness of his skin now replaced by a healthy glow. “How’s the wound?”

A small smile pricked at the edges of his mouth. “Practically gone. Almost like it never happened.”

“Good,” I let out a half-assed laugh, knowing he caught on to it.

“How are you?” He closed the front door behind him, strolling over to the couch and making himself comfortable amongst the pillows.

“I could be better.” I sat down next to him, purposefully keeping some space between us, which he didn’t seem to object to.

“I assume you’ve heard of Alaric’s return,” Lucius said slowly, testing the waters of my mood.

“I’m planning on going down there after I process it a little more.” I found I couldn’t look Lucius in the eye, because if I did, I might cry.

“It was unexpected, wasn’t hit?” Lucius murmured, gazing out the front window across from the couch.

“We all thought he was dead. Or just gone.”

“I think you should go down there.” Lucius sat up against the back of the couch, his expression suddenly serious. “Face him.”

“That’s what Asher said, too.”

Lucius narrowed his eyes for the most fleeting of seconds. “He did? Where is he now?”

“Away,” I shrugged, trying not to seem bothered by his absence, even though I really, really was. “He never tells me — told me — anything.” The past tense correction I forced myself to make stung.

Lucius met my eyes, sorrow in his own. “Go get your answers. You deserve them.”

My fingers brushed across my stomach, my secret hovering at the edge of my tongue. I stared back at Lucius, wishing he’d notice and ask so I didn’t have to say anything.

But he didn’t notice. He broke our gaze, standing up and clearing his throat.

“I should go.” The words hurt to hear, because I’d thought he’d have stayed longer. Before, he would have stayed for hours.

“Right. I…should get to the palace.” I stood up with him, walking just behind him to the door.

“Take care of yourself, Sienna.” He gave me that damned sad smile again, and I wanted to scream.

What do you know? Why are you so sad?

When the door closed behind him and I was left in silence, the sound of my buzzing phone quickly caught my attention.

I turned to look at another message from Archimedes.

Are you sure you’re okay? it read.

My thumb hovered over the keyboard, the hairline crack cutting right across the letters.

I will be.

I dropped my phone on the table and went back to my room to change, knowing the palace and all my answers awaited me.