As I stirred from sleep, the absence of Nicholas beside me was the first thing I noticed. I glanced around the room, searching for any sign of him. Instead, my gaze landed on a piece of paper lying on the nearby table.

Frowning, I reached for the note, unfolding it with growing concern. Nicholas had left a message, explaining that he had gone out for a walk and urging us not to worry. But worry was exactly what I felt as I read his words.

"Where did he go?" I whispered to myself, my brow furrowing with unease. Nicholas was always responsible and stayed by us, but his sudden disappearance left me feeling unsettled.

Shaking off my apprehension, I cast a glance at Damion and Lou, both still sleeping soundly nearby. They don't seem to know that Nicholas wasn't here, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Pushing aside my worries, I dressed quickly and prepared for the day ahead. I told myself to trust in Nicholas's judgment, to believe that he would return safely.

As I got dressed, there was a knock on the door. Relief flooded through me as I opened the door to find Nicholas standing there.

"Nicholas, where have you been?" I asked, unable to conceal the concern in my voice.

He offered me a reassuring smile, though there was a hint of weariness in his eyes. "Just went for a walk," he replied casually, as if his absence were nothing out of the ordinary.

I wanted to press him for more details, to ask where he had gone and what he had seen. But something in his demeanor told me not to pry, so I simply nodded and let the matter drop.

"Are you okay?" I asked, noting the fatigue in his expression.

Nicholas nodded, though his smile seemed strained. "I'm fine, just a bit tired," he assured me.

I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his story, but I chose to trust in his words.

Damion rubbed his eyes sleepily as he sat up in bed, blinking in the morning light. I watched as Nicholas approached him, a subtle expression of discomfort crossing his face. It was fleeting, but it didn't escape my notice.

Nicholas sat down beside Damion, and for a moment, they exchanged silent glances. There was a tension in the air, a heaviness that hung between them, but neither of them spoke a word.

I hesitated, unsure whether to intervene or to let them sort things out on their own. In the end, I decided to respect their unspoken exchange and focused on getting ready for the day ahead.

As I moved about the room, tidying up and gathering our belongings, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air. Something wasn't right, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Nicholas remained by Damion's side, offering him a reassuring smile despite the discomfort I had sensed earlier.

It was as if he were trying to mask his own pain, to shield us from whatever troubles he might be facing.

I made a mental note to check in with him later, to see if he needed someone to talk to. For now, I would simply be there for him, ready to offer support and comfort whenever he needed it.

As a I turned away, Nicholas cleared his throat, breaking the silence that had settled between us. "Hey, Damion," he began, his voice hesitant yet determined. "I, uh... I wanted to talk to you about something."

Damion turned to him, his expression curious yet guarded. "What is it?" he asked, his tone cautious.

Nicholas hesitated for a moment, as if searching for the right words. "It's about... well, about what happened yesterday," he replied, his voice trailing off slightly.

Damion's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?" he pressed, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Nicholas took a deep breath,"I... I went out for a walk," he began, his voice quiet but steady. "I wanted to clear my head, you know? But... things didn't exactly go as planned."

Damion's expression softened, his gaze filled with concern. "What happened?" he asked, his voice tinged with worry.

Nicholas hesitated, his gaze falling to the floor as he struggled to find the right words. "I... I came across something," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "Someone, actually."

Damion's eyes widened in surprise. "Who?" he asked.

Nicholas glanced up at him, his expression troubled. "Someone... someone from our past," he replied cryptically. "Someone I thought I'd never see again."

Damion's brow furrowed in confusion, but before he could respond, Nicholas shook his head, cutting him off. "I'll tell you more later," he promised, his voice firm. "But for now, just... just know that things might be a little more complicated than we thought."

Damion nodded in understanding, his expression thoughtful. "Okay," he said simply, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "Just... just let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

Nicholas offered him a small, grateful smile. "Thanks, Damion," he said softly.

As Nicholas sat down on Damion's bed, my eyes fixed on him expectantly. "Who did you see, Nicholas?" I asked, my voice tinged with concern.

Nicholas took a deep breath, his mind grappling with how to broach the subject. "I saw someone... someone I thought I lost," he began slowly, his voice faltering.

Damion's brow furrowed in confusion, and my eyes narrowed with curiosity. "Who?" she pressed, my voice soft but insistent.

Nicholas hesitated,"Ryoko," he finally confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

My looked confused, and Damion's expression mirrored my expression. "Ryoko?" I repeated, "Who's that?" I asked.

Nicholas paused before he continued. "Ryoko was... is our sister," he explained, his voice thick with emotion. "She disappeared a few years ago."

Nicholas took a deep breath, "the reason that you don't remember her is because our father erased your memories of Ryoko. Because he didn't want anyone else to panic after our sister Genesis," he confessed, his voice filled with sorrow.

My eyes widened in shock, my hand flying to my mouth in disbelief. "He... he did what?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Damion's jaw clenched in anger, his fists tightening at his sides. "How could he just erase someone from our memories?" he demanded, his voice trembling with rage.

Nicholas sighed, his gaze falling to the floor. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice heavy with guilt. "But he thought it was for the best... to protect us."

Damion's gaze softened with understanding, and he reached out to lay a comforting hand on Nicholas's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Nicholas," he said quietly. "I didn't know."

My eyes brimmed with tears as I processed everything. "What happened out there?" I asked softly, my voice trembling.

Nicholas took a deep breath and recounted the events of his encounter with Maeve and the demons. He described how Ryoko had been given a choice by Maeve, and how she refused to join her. He recounted the battle that came after that, and the tragic outcome that followed.

As he spoke, Damion's fists clenched at his sides, his expression filled with anger and grief.

My heart ached for the sister I had never known, and I reached out to take Nicholas's hand in my own, offering him a wordless gesture of comfort and support.

My eyes filled with tears as I struggled to process this. "I can't believe it... I had another sister, and I didn't even know," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

Damion's expression softened, his anger giving way to sorrow. "I'm sorry, Nicholas. I can't imagine what you've been through," he said quietly, placing a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder.

Nicholas forced a weak smile, grateful for his siblings' understanding. "It's okay. We'll figure this out together," he said, his voice tinged with determination. "But right now, we need to focus on finding Aelin and getting out of here."

We spent the rest of the morning discussing our next steps. Nicholas suggested that we continue searching for Aelin, hoping that she might have found safety somewhere. Me and Damion agreed, knowing that we needed to reunite with their sister as soon as possible.