A Court Of Nightmares

Chapter Seven Devil Incarnate

The days have felt long, especially with all of the information that was being crammed into my head. It's been two days since Rhys's last visit, and Ignes has been true to her word in teaching me everything. She made sure I knew the maps like the back of my hand. Making me be able to name every single part with practically no effort. Along with learning the proper customs. All the countries were made up of kingdoms and old traditions. Some I was familiar with from reading fantasy and mythology books back at home.

What disturbed me the most was the Illyrian traditions. Balthazar is one of them, but it was hard to believe that a kind man saved me. Especially when his own people treated women so poorly. Clipping their bat-like wings by the time they get their first period so that they would be unable to fly. Leading them to only live to serve men and give birth to children. The process of clipping itself is excruciating like chopping off your own limp. Ignes described it to me and women basically get treated like doormats. It all sounded horrible, I almost didn't believe it more like I didn't want to. Balthazar's kindness in helping me even when he woke from the crown's influence proves that not all of them are like that.

It makes me wonder how Achilles might have managed it all by himself. He is barely a people person and spent more of his time with his computer than anything else. There was no doubt in my mind that he probably managed the situation much better than I was. If it wasn't for the fact that I had his journals he probably would be writing everything he saw. I would go so far as to say Achilles would have his own little mansion. Making it using sticks and rocks like it's no big deal.

"Nyx!" Ignes yelled, sitting across from me at the table. Mia started to serve us breakfast, her mind clearly elsewhere.

"Yes?"

"Pay attention,"

"Yes ma'am," I uttered, looking down towards my plate. Ignes paused, giving me a grave look before returning to her own breakfast. The sunlight streaming on her face from the wide window next to us showing the yard.

"Explain the story of Prythian," Ignes ordered, swirling the water in her glass around. I gave out a harsh sigh before answering. Ignes would randomly quiz me throughout the day especially when I seemed to be lost in my thoughts. But I don't blame her, if we are going to see Rhys tomorrow, I would need the knowledge of this world to make it believable that I belong here.

"Started with the cauldron, it's practically bottomless and created all of this. The land, sea, everything in between, and the fae. At first, the world was dominated by fae explaining the tensions between humans and fae. There is no explanation on how humans came to be." I paused for a moment, I had a small idea on how but it was too much to dwell on the possibilities. "Then came the first war, between both species leading to a treaty soon after it ended. Everything in the north was considered fae territory while everything in the south went to the humans. Creating a wall in between both for a bit of time, before it was broken by King Hyburn with his use of the cauldron. Starting another war, but it was won by Prythian, starting of a now shaky peace between the humans and fae." I finished, Mia seemed tense while cleaning the plates. Hearing the last bit of the story made me pity her. Mia was probably reliving the war and the bloodshed from the winter court in her head again. She hasn't talked to me much since Ignes started her lessons. I almost wondered if she was avoiding me on purpose.

"Now the courts," Ignes urged, with a cat-like smile pressed on her lips. I had the temptation to roll my eyes back at her. These were the first things I learned it was practically tattooed in my head. It felt stupid answering it, "Night, Day, Dawn, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Each ruled by a High Lord, powerful in their own ways."

Ignes nodded, the smile still on her face so wide it was almost frightening. "You are a quick study as you say, half-breed," Ignes said happily. I shifted in my seat, even though it was a compliment I felt uneasy. Eating the rest of my breakfast silently, not bothering to say thank you to her. A quick study was far from the truth, my mom always raged on about the fact that my brothers and I had some type of photographic memory.