The Black Lotus | Vol.1, The Eldenarian Artifacts ✓

25.

Jasper's jumpkey dumped them right outside the gates of the hidden city. As soon as they touched down, the compact, wooden spikes serving as a wall swung open. Battlemages clad in Viking armor poured through the opening with weapons and magic in their hands. Leading them was an older, broad-shouldered woman with hair the color of marmalade.

Sebastian knew her as Catherine the Vanquisher, wife of the chief of House Brynjir. After a brief period of questioning, the woman let him and his friends inside their gates. A few healers took Makaela's unconscious body to the infirmary while Sebastian and the others were led to the barracks. Letting them take her alone was the last thing on his mind, but Catherine insisted on letting her doctors work in private.

That was two days ago.

Makaela had yet to open her eyes.

Sebastian had been reduced to nothing more than a bundle of nerves since then. He couldn't even celebrate his victory. Not only had they escaped the Order, but he also managed to find the Illumio before they left.

None of that mattered if Makaela didn't wake up again, though.

Every few hours he would visit her in the infirmary, sitting next to her bed and studying her still features as he waited for her to wake up. He noted how cute her button-shaped nose looked on her face and how her rich complexion caught the light of the candles burning on the walls at night.

According to Hodvekt's head healer, she was alive. Nearly all of her vitalae had been drained in Nightfall. Sebastian wasn't sure how, but he was glad he got to her when he did. Had it been fully exhausted...

He clenched his jaw.

Shadows crossed his face as he sat in the infirmary. Rows of beds lined either wall of the long room, most unoccupied. Though, a few injured battlemages were sprawled out on the small beds. Makaela's was towards the end of the room, away from everyone else.

Sebastian had fallen asleep in the chair next to her cot. He hadn't meant to, but he wanted to be there when she woke up-whenever that ended up being.

Sighing, he rubbed his temples.

This was screwing with his head. Caring for someone other than himself wasn't typical of him. He didn't even care when his sister nearly died during a duel when they were thirteen. The last time he cared about someone, they vanished from his life.

He vowed to never make the mistake again.

Up until now, he had been making good on his promise. Makaela made him break it. He wished she hadn't. His heart wouldn't be able to take it if she wasn't alright. She had to be alright. The group needed her. The prophecy needed her.

He needed her.

"She will wake up," someone said behind him.

Sebastian whipped his head around. He sighed. "What're you doing here. Catherine?"

"Bringing the girl some more vithea," she explained. Steam rose from the wooden mug in her hands.

Sebastian's mouth watered at the mention of the life-giving tea. Vithea was harvested from a rare plant native to the frozen mountains of Tibet and only harvestable during a short period in the spring. With House Vaya closing its doors to the outside world ten years ago, vithea was nearly impossible to come by.

Catherine set the tea down on the table next to Makaela's table. "Make sure she drinks this when she wakes up. I'm sure you'll still be here when she does."

Nodding, Sebastian rested his chin on his palm. His eyes were starting to get heavy.

"Achilles will be back tomorrow," the woman told him. "He'll speak with you then."