Chapter 77

Sienna’s POV

I didn’t know how to feel, what to do, or where to go. After the King told me the truth, that Asher was Alaric, I couldn’t see straight.

I’d run out of there so fast, because despite Asher having told me not to believe what the King said, I knew I’d just been told the truth that had been kept from me for so long.

It’s because it made sense. All the mysterious outings, the elite people he knew, his connection to the Elder’s. How had I not seen it until now?

Who else had been lying to me? Lucius had to be — he and Asher were so close, there was no way he hadn’t known the truth.

Did Mia know, too? Had she been laughing hysterically behind my back at my naîvety? Had all of them?

I didn’t know who to trust anymore, and I knew I was going to shelter within myself, taking everything into my own hands. It hurt more than I could ever explain to be left out of something like that, when Asher had seemed so close to me.

Am I not worth it? I couldn’t brush aside the fact that I’d been so pushed aside, so lied to, for so many months. Did they think I was too young to be trusted?

Asher wasn’t even that much older than me. Sometimes he’d acted like our age gap was much larger, that he was the real adult, me the immature child.

Sorrow was soon replaced by anger and betrayal, so I took a cold shower, allowing the water to extinguish — if only for a little while — the wildfire that had exploded in me.

When I got out and made it back to the living room, my body still chilled from the temperature of the water, I sent a text to Archimedes.

I need to talk to someone. When will you be back in town?

The dots popped up almost immediately, and I couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

I actually just flew back. We could meet in a few hours at the Rosenfell? 6pm.

The fanciest restaurant in the entire city again. I couldn’t say no to that. Within a second, I was typing a response.

I’ll be there.

My emotions were absolutely raging, a tightness sitting in my chest that I couldn’t shake, no matter how many times I breathed in slow and deep.

This new reality I was living in was one I never thought I’d see. So many lies swirled around my head, their whispers taunting my ears.

Archimedes would be a good sounding board for everything that had happened.

And then the doubt struck. Who was really behind that mask?

Was this all another secret kept from me? Did everyone else but me know who was behind that mask?

What if…

No. I wasn’t going to think about who it could be. For now, I’d forget all of the possibilities and let him by the mystery man he’d been from day one.

He and I connected in a way I wasn’t able to with Asher. While Asher always had some sort of blockade up, Archimedes didn’t. Aside from the obvious part: the mask.

It seemed like Archimedes let me in, allowed me to be vulnerable in a way I’d been afraid to with Asher, because of all the secrets I knew he held from me.

Right now, I needed that comfort from Archimedes more than anything. Him, as a person, was what I wanted more than anything.

Simon hadn’t come back to the Alpha house yet, and an unsettling truth sank over me. He was in on it too, wasn’t he?

“Whatever,” I muttered to no one in particular. This was my battle, and mine alone.

I gathered my strength, straightened my back, and stepped out the door, walking with my eyes down towards the capital city.

Going back in the direction of the palace wasn’t ideal for me, because it meant getting closer to Asher.

Alaric, I corrected myself. It would be a while before I could ever call him that, if ever.

I make the walk to the capital city in peace, avoiding eye contact with every passerby. That peace ended the moment I reached the city gates.

“Sienna?” It was Lucius, my whole body tensing at the sound of his voice. I didn’t want to be hearing it at all.

“Yeah?” I said dully, no interest in my voice at all.

“How are you?”

I avoided the question, frowning at him. “Why are you just lingering at the city gates?”

“I was heading back to Blackmoon.” It seemed honest enough, but I had doubts about everyone and their intentions now.

“What do you want?” I asked hoarsely, so tired of being lied to. “I have a meeting.”

“With who?” Lucius pressed, his question less nosy and more concerned.

“Archimedes.”

“Sienna…” He let out a sigh, and I knew. I just knew that he was about to ruin the last mystery for me.

“You know who Archimedes is?” I winced, steeling myself for an unpleasant truth.

“It’s something you should have known a long time ago, like everything else.”

I looked at him with sad eyes, just waiting for him to say what I already knew.

He didn’t — he wanted me to say it instead.

“It’s Asher, isn’t it?” I was so numb I couldn’t even feel the tragedy that washed through me as Lucius nodded silently.

Of course it is.

“I thought…” I started, but quickly cut my words off. There was no way to accurately voice how I was feeling.

“I’m sorry you were lied to for so long. I pushed him, day after day, to tell you, but…”

“He didn’t.” I finished his sentence for him, shaking my head. “I figured.”

“It wasn’t my place to tell you, and I regret every day that I didn’t.” Lucius sounded truly sorry, but even then, I wasn’t sure it was enough. This betrayal ran so deep I feared it might never find the surface again.

“There’s something Asher doesn’t know,” I whispered, nearing my breaking point.

Lucius stepped a little closer to me, his warmth wafting to my skin, drawing me in towards him. I missed his comfort, too, the way he’d always made me feel safe and secure.

He let my words sit in the air for a while, not pushing me to say what that secret was if I didn’t want to.

But I needed to tell someone, and Lucius was one of the best people I could tell.

“I’m pregnant, Lucius,” I whimpered, my fingers brushing over my stomach.

All he did was lean in and hug me, a careful, yet still deep bear hug. My arms slowly wrapped around him, clinging to him, as my face fell to his chest, nuzzling just beneath his chin.

For a second, I was okay. My problems weren’t so glaring, and the world wasn’t trying so desperately to take me down.

And then, a handful of strides away, I saw Asher — Alaric. My body tensed, making Lucius hold me just a little bit tighter.

My icy look met Asher’s for a beat, holding it steady, before I glanced away. In those few seconds, he knew all he needed to.

Go away.