ArcKnight (The ArcKnight Chronicles #1)

Chapter Twenty-four

Lilliana

I watched the sunrise through the window in Ephrem's living room. It was our living room now, but I wasn't quite used to calling it that yet, even though I'd been there for months. Funny how things had turned out for me. I'd never hurt anyone in my entire life, yet here I was banished forever from my childhood home. The homesickness crawled up my chest and swelled in my throat, making it hard to breathe.

Large tears tickled my eyes, and I fought to keep them from falling. I was sure my face was a blotchy mess. My fair skin always looked horrid when I cried. I would have to wash up soon and crawl into bed before Ephrem came home. I'd rather he never see me like this.

My heart was pounding underneath my breastbone while my ragged breathing choked underneath as I struggled to get through this rage quietly. Rafaela was still in the royal palace, and the last I'd seen of her was her stoic face as Alec held her up before they walked away toward the ArcKnight limo. It was her image on the news when it was announced her husband would take a second mate that broke the dam of tears.

I missed my sister. I couldn't believe I wasn't there to comfort her.

She was all I had left. My mother was there, but I'd never been particularly close to her. I was hoping Rafaela had the wits to manipulate things at court, but seeing her pale, shocked face after the recent decision regarding her own future told me I was far from her thoughts right now. Gil was going to have his hands full dealing with her wrath. At least she had the comforts of home to help her through this hard time. Mother was there. Hell, even Alec, who was more family than anything else, would see her through any hardships she would have to deal with.

But I was alone. Save for Ephrem, there was no one in the Outlands who had my back. It was disconcerting.

My head was spinning and filled me with nausea I couldn't shake. I jumped off the bed and ran to the bathroom to throw up. Flushing down the contents, I washed my face and stared at my pallid reflection in the mirror. Dark bruises under my eyes made me look like I was either anemic or hadn't slept for weeks. I couldn't deny that I hadn't gotten much rest since my banishment, but my body felt worn out like I was fighting off some internal battle and sorely losing. Maybe I was just sick, but I wasn't one to get ill often.

Blood trickled down out of my nose and dripped into the sink. I reached up to touch my face, feeling the warm blood against my clammy skin. Grabbing a wad of tissue, I held my nose tight to stifle the dripping.

I never got bloody noses. Something felt odd, and my skin was crawling like a thousand ants crept just underneath the surface. There was something tugging at my mind that I couldn't quite put a finger on. Something had happened that evening that I couldn't recall. Something was wrong, but what was it?

Squeezing my eyes shut, I made my way to the bed and leaned against the headboard. The entire night was a foggy blur. My memory was so hazy, I wondered if I'd been drinking. Drinking had never been a habit I'd gotten into, but if I had, would it have explained the blackout? I couldn't be sure, but my head was pounding as I rested my head on the hardwood design of the headboard. I couldn't lie down yet; I didn't want to swallow gobs of blood. Instead, I gathered the pillows on the bed and stacked them behind me.

Settling back, I checked my nose. It had stopped bleeding, along with the constant spinning of the room. I hoped it wouldn't come back. Whatever was ailing me slowly receded after I closed my eyes and sank back into the mountain of pillows. I couldn't wait to see Ephrem and longed to have his strong muscular arms around me while he whispered words of love. He'd make sure I was okay. If only he'd return.

Grayson. I had to tell Ephrem about Grayson.

No. He'd forbid me to seek him out again. Besides, Grayson wanted something from Ephrem, didn't he? Well, I needed more information from Grayson first. I groaned in frustration. Something was off about this whole thing, but my current state of confusion wasn't helping me remember.

Ephrem would do anything for me. I felt it in the core of my body. He would. Wouldn't he? I hoped so, for there was something I had to ask him. Something he would have to believe for him to follow wherever it was I would take him, whether to the ends of the world or deep into the dangerous places that existed in this lonely place.

Something told me he would follow me anywhere. I was counting on it, but I couldn't remember why this was so important to me at the moment. I needed sleep. That was it. The endless night had eaten up the last of my energy. Luckily, I didn't have to work in the morning. There was no way I could handle the bustle of the diner. I would get the rest I needed to do what I had to do.

Whatever it was I had to do ...