ArcKnight (The ArcKnight Chronicles #1)

Chapter Twenty-eight

Ephrem

We searched the entire perimeter of the city, but the day had yielded nothing at all. The fog had made no appearance. I was sure it would come out later when it was dark, so I sent most everyone home to rest up. I retreated home myself to sleep for a couple hours. Exhaustion and lack of sleep were dangerous cohorts. Besides, I hadn't seen much of Lily in days and was missing her more than I'd ever dreamed.

I'd never rushed home before I had Lily. She was everything to me, but I doubted she knew how I felt. It bothered me that she'd been so distracted lately, but I let her have her space, knowing that to do otherwise would smother her. Lily wasn't the kind of woman who liked to be spoiled. At least not now. Maybe in her previous life at the palace.

I wondered what was going on with her. She'd retreated into her mind so much lately, rarely speaking of her thoughts and desires. Her cold shoulder was hard to take, but I didn't want to push. She'd come around eventually. I hoped.

"Lily?" I dropped my jacket on the couch as I entered our apartment. The silence seemed abnormally present. No response. I checked each room, but she wasn't there. I figured she'd gone out for a walk since she was off work. I hoped she'd return before I left again in the evening. I thought about calling her, but she needed her space, and I didn't want to interfere in her alone time, so I sent a quick, concise text instead.

Home for a few hours to rest. Love you.

I didn't expect her to answer. She sometimes went hours without checking her phone. I didn't think the royals were on their phones half as much as people were in the city. There was hardly a need to communicate by text when servants were constantly at your disposal. It had taken me some time to get used to her mannerisms, but she was adjusting too.

After peeling off the last of my clothes, I slipped into bed and closed my eyes, feeling the fatigue run over my muscles in a soothing ache. The bed felt like a slice of heaven underneath my worn-out body. It had been a long day patrolling Temple, especially with this new threat lingering on the edges of town.

But was it even a threat?

Without further evidence of malice, I was going to have to let it go soon.

I struggled to sleep as the minutes ticked by. There was too much on my mind, mainly Lily. After an hour, I felt certain she was in peril. Stuffing a pillow over my head, I tried to calm my overactive imagination before checking my phone for the hundredth time since I'd texted her.

Sure, she would text within an hour, usually. Had she ever gone longer? Yes. That was the unfortunate part. She had gone up to about six hours without answering a text. Most of the time, it didn't feel like an eternity because I was working and something always came up. But something was different today. I didn't know how I knew. Maybe it was our bond. She still wore my Ardent talisman and I hers. It connected us to a point. Maybe this anxiety bothering me wasn't exactly mine. It could possibly be a second-hand projection of her emotions.

I sat up. The revelation that she really could be in some sort of danger was all too real, especially with the night fast approaching. Tossing off the comforter, I was about to jump out of bed when Lily suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"Hi," she said, looking just as exhausted as I was. Leaning on the door frame, she seemed pensive and quieter than usual.

"Lily!" I swung my legs over the side of the bed and waited for her to join me. When she didn't, I wondered if I should approach her or not. Something was troubling her greatly.

"What do you know about the KelHans?" she asked, picking at the doorframe where scuffs marred the painted wood. Her tone wasn't accusatory, but it left me wondering what she was getting at.