NANA’S POV
I stood in front of Lucien’s door, my knuckles sore from pounding on it repeatedly. “Lucien, please! Open the door!” My voice cracked, my throat raw from shouting. Nothing. Not a sound.
The faint scent of blood lingered, mixing with the stale air of desperation that had settled over me. I pressed my ear to the door, straining to hear even the faintest movement. Still nothing. He was in there, but he wasn’t responding.
My hands trembled as I pulled my phone out of my pocket, my thumb hovering over Archimedes’ contact. I didn’t want to call him, not after everything he’d done, but I had no choice, there was no other person to call. I hit the dial button, pacing the length of the hallway as it rang.
“Archimedes,” his deep voice answered, cold and detached as always.
“Lucien’s
