Darkness Rises

Chapter 9

We landed on the front lawn of the manor and I immediately ran for the kitchen door.

"Jasmine, wait!" I heard Rhys call, but I couldn't, I just wanted to see my friends.

Nyx appeared at my side a second later.

"Please don't freak my friends out," I said to him as I reached the door.

I opened it and saw cook and Amelia both there looking worried.

"Amelia, cook!" I said with a squeal.

They both whipped their heads to me, and I ran at them. Amelia caught me and span me around before setting me back on my feet.

"I'm so glad you are ok." She said as she kissed the top of my head.

"Why are you back here?" Cook asked.

"Rhys came to talk to, him, he asked if I wanted to come to." I replied.

"Jasmine, why is the kitchen door so small?" Nyx's voice asked for outside.

I turned and rolled my eyes.

"Can you really not fit through?" I asked him.

"No, my wings are a little big," he grumbled.

"Can't you just do your jumpy thing and come in?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"I didn't want to just suddenly appear," he replied.

"Oh, just get in here," I told him as I turned back to the others.

"Who is outside?" Amelia asked.

"My cousin Nyx," I replied as he appeared next to me, wings knocking on the table.

"Cool wings," Amelia said with a smile.

"Thanks," he replied.

"The master requires your presence," one of the footmen said from the door. We all glanced at each other before walking up to his office.

Nyx kept his wing slightly curving around me which I thought was sweet. The doors were open, and Therian sneered at me as I walked in, Nyx didn't take too kindly to that as magic lashed out from him and struck Therian, sending him flying into the wall.

"Nyx, that is enough!" Rhys half yelled at him.

"I will not apologise," he grumbled as he used his wing to bring me closer to his side.

"You must be Amelia and Carla," Rhys said as he turned to them with a smile.

"Yes Lord," they both said with a curtsy.

"No need for the formalities, Rhys is fine, I've just had a lovely chat with Therian here about what I think of his treatment of women, now I would like to offer you both a place in my city, should you not want to stay with this idiot." Rhys said with a small smile.

"Really?" Amelia squeaked.

"Yes really, there is a restaurant on the corner of one of the streets that has just lost its owner, her husband is looking for someone to take the shop over, if you are interested." He said, eyes twinkling.

They both looked at each other, wide smiles on their faces.

"We would love to," the cook said.

"Go and gather your things, Jasmine, why don't you go with them." Rhys said and I nodded, Nyx tucked his wing back in so that I could follow them out.

"Our own shop!" Cook said, beaming.

"I hope my family won't miss me too much." Amelia said, looking a little sad.

"You can visit them whenever you want, you aren't confined to the Night Court." I told her and she smiled.

"You're right, thank you." She said and we began packing away her things.

I didn't have much here although I did run down to the kitchen to grab the baking book that my mother gave to me before she died.

"You are finally free of this place cook," I said with a smile.

"You don't have to call me cook dear, my name is Carla," she replied, chuckling.

"Come on, let's leave this miserable place." Amelia said with a wide smile as she tucked my book into her bag.

"Wait, I need to go and say goodbye to mother." I said, running down to the kitchen and out the door.

I knelt down in front of the willow tree.

"Hello, I know it isn't a Sunday, I just thought you should know that I went to Night, I met Rhys who is so lovely and my cousin Nyx, he scared me at first but now he is really kind. I wish you could be here with me; you would have liked the Night Court a lot." I pressed a hand to the trunk of the tree.

"Jasmine, the others have just left." I turned to see Nyx stood there.

"My mother is buried here," I told him softly.

"I would have loved to meet her," he said as he helped me up.

"I think she would have really liked you," I said as he scooped me into his arms.

"I would have liked her too," he said before he took off.

He flew back to the Night Court, letting me enjoy the views of all the other courts on the way past.

"How badly did you hurt him?" I asked as we were flying over Dawn.

"Quite badly, dad got a little into it once Therian started to tell him about your mother." He said, holding me closer.

"Is he dead?" I asked, knowing it was wrong to hope that he was.

"No, he is alive, or at least he was when we left him, he's probably winnowed straight to his father." Nyx said with a scowl.

"What is winnowing?" I asked, a little confused.

"Oh, it's what the jumpy thing is called," he said with a wink.

We flew the rest of the way to Velaris in silence. Only talking once we were above the city.