Page 21 of The Sins of Silas (The Otacian Chronicles #2)

Chapter Twenty-One

SILAS

I watched as Lena withdrew a dagger kept tucked into her corset, watched as she straddled the body, wailing as she repeatedly pierced its corpse. Over and over and over again. Black blood splattered on her face and her tattered clothes, pooling on the floor beneath her.

She was sobbing…losing control. I rushed to her not a moment later. I grasped her shoulder, halting her stabbing, and her head spun to face me.

I knew my face didn’t hide my emotions. It fucking killed me seeing her like this.

I knelt down beside her, taking her face into my hands. “It’s okay, Lena,” I whispered, my eyes meeting her frantic ones. “You’re alive. You saved all these people. You.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks, her fearful gaze softening as I wiped them away. Her lip trembled as I lowered my hands, and she slowly took in the bloodied mess beneath her, then at the crowd, who stared at her, not in fear…but in awe.

“I thought you were done for,” she whispered so quietly only I heard it. “I thought it was all over. I…I didn’t know if I could stop it.”

I wanted to comfort her, but how could I?

“I’m right here, Lena,” I said softly. Her skin was bright red—blistered, damaged from the flames she couldn’t control.

Burning…so fucking close to burning. I took quick breaths as those memories of her in the cottage haunted me.

She shakily dropped the dagger, then slowly lifted her hands to the porcelain mask. Just as she began pulling it away, she screamed, the mask falling to the ground and shattering as she stumbled off the body.

“No—no, no, no!” she wailed. "Oh, Gods…what did I do!?"

My breathing hitched, my eyes flaring as I took in the body before me.

Igon Natarion.

His solid black eyes were barely open, the same swirling present on his fair skin, the same eerie symbol carved into his forehead. I had thrust my sword into his chest, yet here he was moments ago, walking amongst us.

Lena's face was crumpled as she shook her head back and forth. “I-I killed him! I didn't know…I didn't know…” Her chest was heaving—she was hyperventilating.

“Lena!” I damn near barked, grasping her face with my hands again. Her tearful eyes widened. “You didn't kill him. I did…remember?!”

She choked on a sob, her lip wobbling. “ But…but—”

“No. I am the one who ended his life. I am the one responsible, not you.”

“Lena, I need to heal you,” Elowen said faintly, her tone nasally from crying. Her eyes were bright red, tears still slipping free.

Lena shook her head, and I dragged my thumb gently along her cheek, leaning in close to whisper in her ear, “Let her heal you, Flower.”

Lena cried softly, eyes meeting mine for a moment, searching. Then she nodded, wincing as she tried to stand. I was there quickly, lifting her into my arms. She let out a faint whine, her adrenaline fading, the pain becoming more present.

Roland was behind us now, and I felt him stiffen. I didn’t care if it made him upset that I was the one holding her. He was the one drunk, not keeping alert in unknown territory. I would reprimand him later.

As we turned, the crowd, humans and Warlocks alike, began to place three fingers on their chests. A symbol known to the people of Forsmont as respect.

“You can bring her to one of the changing rooms in the back. There are a few beds we use after shifting when we need rest,” Dani expressed, voice shaking. I nodded, and Elowen followed behind me as we walked, the people splitting apart to let us through with ease.

Lena’s eyes were heavy, but still, she gazed up at me as she rested her head on my chest.

“You amazed me out there,” I whispered, not caring that Elowen and Dani were listening. “You are incredibly powerful. But more than that, you are brave. So fucking brave. You did what you had to do to save these people. ”

Her lips formed a small smile, and her eyes slowly fluttered shut, her head falling against my chest.

I halted. “Is she okay?!” I panicked, lightly caressing her cheek.

“Yes,” Elowen said gently, touching my arm and motioning forward. “The use of that much magic has left her drained. She just needs rest.”

I clenched my jaw and continued striding forward. My eyes continually darted to her chest, making sure I was seeing it rise and fall. When we reached the changing room, I carefully placed Lena on one of the beds. Elowen quickly rushed over to begin her healing.

“She will be asleep for a while,” Elowen told me, her hands glowing as they trailed up and down her body.

“I don’t mind staying.”

She seemed puzzled as she studied me, and I realized this wasn’t a normal response for a man who, as far as anyone else knew, hardly knew Lena.

“I…just let me know when she’s awake,” I mumbled.

Elowen’s aqua eyes searched mine, and she nodded, resuming her work.

Dani studied me suspiciously, but I ignored her and exited the room. As I made my way down the corridor, I attempted to steady my breathing…attempted to steady my heart.

She jumped in front of me…willing to take that curse in place of me.

That’s twice now. At least the first time, it was her friend. She knew she could stop her with her magic. But these creatures…she was willing to become one of them if it meant saving my life.

I stopped, steadying myself on the tent wall beside me.

I need to calm down .

How could she do such a thing? I wasn’t about to yell at her, considering how injured she was. And I was amazed by her bravery…by her strength.

But I would never want her to risk herself for me. I had already lost her once, already suffered. I couldn’t go through it again.

Elowen's mother…and Igon. It was clear the necromancer made a stop in Ames. Why were they so much different than the Undead we encountered on the road?

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and was just about to continue forward when Merrick emerged. I attempted to straighten myself, to look less unnerved. As if the Empath would fall for it.

We glared at each other in silence for a moment before Merrick’s eyes softened.

“If the two of you wish to keep your history under wraps, you’ll need to do a better job pretending like she means nothing more than an ally to you.”

My eyes widened, my mouth drying. “You…you know?”

He nodded, his eyes going dark. “I put two and two together after Lena spoke of her miscarriage to the group.” He slid his hands into his pockets. “I was confused as to why I could sense that you loved her when I read you back at the fort. It made no sense.”

I chewed on my lip, and he continued, “But once I sensed your emotions as she told her story…that’s when I knew. Knew you were Quill…were the love of her life.”

As much as it horrified me to have someone know our secret, part of me also felt like a slight weight was lifted off my chest. I loosened a breath. “You can’t tell anyone—”

“Yes, I know. She insisted the same thing.”

I crossed my arms and rested my head against the wall.

Deep breaths .

Merrick’s eyes remained dark. “Would you have loved her still?”

I tilted my head toward him, brows furrowed.

“Would you have loved her back then if she told you what she was?”

What would I have done if she told me she was a Mage? Would I have been disgusted by her? Would I have had her banished, or after the kill order was placed, have her murdered?

Would I have loved her still, despite it all?

My stare was unwavering as I replied quietly, “Nothing could’ve made me not love her.”

And I knew as his eyes widened slightly, as they returned to an icy blue, he knew I was telling the truth.

I charged up to Leroy after I exited the changing area behind the main stage. “How did those creatures make it past your guards?” I snarled.

Leroy ran a hand through his golden hair, looking at Logan, then back at me. “They killed the guards. All of them.”

I shook my head. “They could still be in your kingdom.”

His face was weary, his eyes dropping to the ground. “I know…I know.”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, looking around at all the people standing about, debating if it was safer to go up or stay underground. “Well, for starters, we need to assign new guards. We need to reinforce the borders.” My eyes trailed back to him. I had felt something off moments before the attack, and apparently, Lena had too, according to Roland. “Lena gets a sense when those things are nearby. Once she is healed and feeling up to it, she can let us know if she feels anything…hopefully give us some peace of mind.”

“You're making orders as if you're our king,” Logan said with crossed arms.

My nostrils flared at his tone, but Leroy placed an arm on his shoulder. “Silas has great experience with running a kingdom. I am grateful for any help we can get.” Leroy's gaze hardened on mine. “We need to meet with the council the moment she is awake.”

It had been ten hours since Lena fell asleep. Her wounds had all been healed by Elowen after about three, and the healer nearly passed out herself, Edmund carrying her to a room they could share.

I was able to catch a few hours of sleep, but not uninterrupted. Every half hour, it seemed my eyes would find themselves open. Era slept beside me in one of those paid adult rooms, which were currently being overlooked by Warlocks.

One thing I hadn’t done, that I needed to do, was speak with Roland. So, when I awoke the last time, I made my way to him.

I found him where I expected him to be: at Lena’s bedside. She was still sleeping soundly as I entered the room, her copper waves spilling down her chest. Her skin was back to its beautiful porcelain; the only redness was the slight flushing to her cheeks and nose. The blood had been cleaned off her face and hands .

Roland looked over his shoulder, nodded to me, then glanced back at her, his chin resting in his palms.

“Any updates?” I asked as I went to stand beside him.

“None. We’re just supposed to let her rest,” he replied quietly.

Roland was never quiet, and I knew that meant one thing. “You feel guilty.”

He sat upright, and his hazel eyes narrowed on me. “What?”

“You left her. You were drunk, not aware of your surroundings, and you left her. You must feel guilt.”

“She needed backup,” he gritted out. “And against those things? Humans are basically fucking useless. Even if I hadn't been drinking, I never would've guessed those things would be in here.” He ran his hands through his brown hair. “Why do you care so much anyway, huh?”

Play it off.

I shrugged. “She could’ve died,” I said simply. “And she saved my life.”

“She has a tendency to do that for you, it seems,” he mumbled, and before I could reply, he added, “You’re saying you wouldn’t have run to get help?”

I was seething with rage when he said he’d left her alone. Even more so when I realized they had been in one of those private rooms together. But I knew he was right. Having other magical beings as backup was what she would have needed.

“You did the best you could,” I responded, crossing my arms and looking at Lena again.

Roland was quiet for a handful of moments. “Are you going to hate me for it forever?” he asked quietly.

My heartbeat picked up when he began to speak of our past, and my eyes shot to him. He was staring at his lap .

I don’t hate you for it.

I wanted to say that…wanted to feel that. I wanted to be able to look at him without being reminded…

Fuck. I can’t think about the past right now. Not ever.

Roland’s hazel eyes slid to mine, pain laced in his irises, and my eyes darted away.

Leroy stepped inside, his hands nervously going inside his pockets. “We are so grateful for what you did…all of you. We’ve never had anything like that enter our territory, let alone so many. Our borders are being reinforced as we speak, stronger wards being put in place.”

“How did this happen?” Roland questioned, turning in his seat to face him. “What the fuck were those things? Well, obviously, they were dead bodies from Ames.”

“These creatures have intelligence,” I responded grimly. “Unlike the Undead, who act like wild animals, these versions were smart, killing only enough to get through. As if they knew it would cause attention.”

Leroy rested his back against the tent fabric. “They aren’t quite like the Undead,” he said gravely. “I have my theories.” His blue eyes darted nervously between ours. “I think these puppets are Undead. But instead of half-lifted back to life… it’s more. Enough to make them smart.”

“Puppets?” Roland asked.

Leroy shrugged. “You heard the woman's voice. He was speaking through her, controlling her like a puppet.” He loosened a sigh. “It’s almost as if they are evolving.”

“They’re evolving…” I spoke. “Or their master is. ”

Leroy's gaze fixed on Lena, who still remained asleep. “We haven’t had a necromancer around for hundreds of years…we need to locate and finish him before his creations end us all.”