Chapter Eight
Sam waved at Lee over her shoulder. It took her an unusually long time to hobble out of the row-house neighborhood. Her own housing complex was on the other side of the main thoroughfare, but even that short distance appeared to be an eternity away.
Her stomach began to roll again as she stepped down off the curb. The downward motion was the last straw. Sam dropped to her knees and began to vomit, but having eaten nothing since Amber’s breakfast roll, the only thing to come up was stomach bile.
When her stomach finally stopped heaving, she spat the remainder out of her mouth and sat down on the curb. The usual Illinois wind swept her hair back, drying the sweat from her face.
“Sam?” a recognizable voice asked from her side.
She groaned, unwilling to open her mouth.
“Are you all right?” Roman asked as he sat down next to her.
“What’re you doin’ here?” she mumbled.
“Consider that classified information.”
Sam grunted. She felt too sick to care what secrets he might be keeping.
“You look awful.”
“Been a long day.”
“You’re hurt?”
Sam grunted again. She didn’t even know where to begin with her various aches and pains. Her hand still hurt, her head throbbed, and her stomach roiled.
“Where are you heading at this time of night?”
“Home.”
“This it?” he asked patting the curb with his large hand.
“Funny,” she said as she pushed herself back to her feet.
She wasn’t up to dealing with the strange mage. All she wanted was her bed. It seemed like she was returning home in worse shape each night this week, and no doubt tomorrow night would be even worse.
Roman rose beside her, a steadying hand reaching out to her. She shook off his touch. Her control was too fragile to handle his skin against hers. Absently she looked down and noticed her wrist donned Heywood’s leather bracer, which effectively concealed his bite mark.
Despite her attempt to keep him from touching her, Roman slipped his arm around her shoulders and scooped her up. Sam clenched her teeth together, determined not to throw up on him—though it would serve him right.
Roman took off, crossing the street and heading up to the spiral driveway. Despite her efforts, Sam’s eyes closed and she relaxed into his strong arms. A moment later they reached her floor and Roman carefully lowered her to the ground.
Sam was just about to turn the knob on her door when she paused and looked at Roman. “How did you know where I live?”
“Go get some rest, little Samantha,” he ordered before walking away.
Sam was only half aware of the fact he hadn’t answered her question. She wandered into her family’s apartment. Thankfully everyone else was already asleep. She stumbled into her room, collapsed on her bed fully dressed, and fell fast asleep.
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