Son of Night and Daughter of Stars

Chapter 62: The Decision

"I don't like this," Artemis muttered under her breath for the seventh time. 

"I know," Nyx whispered back. "You've said." 

"But I really don't like this, Nyx. I want to kill her. Or at least relieve her of some body parts. Instead we're working with her?!" Artemis's arms were crossed so tight Nyx thought she might snap her own bones. Amandla, on Artemis's other side, noticed and pried one hand from Artemis's arm to hold in her own. 

Nyx raised his eyes to where Marzanna stood, staring around at them with little apprehension. "Try to remember she currently holds Lady Lysandra's body, Artemis. I don't think the General would be happy if you cut her up." 

"Oh, shit, I forgot about that," Artemis muttered, the crease between her brow smoothing. 

"If you're quite finished plotting to murder me," Marzanna interrupted. "Will you hear me now?"

"Go ahead," Aelin said, crossing her arms and leaning against Rowan's shoulder. "Ignore the rabble, I want to hear this." 

"'Rabble?'" Amandla sniffed. "Hmph." 

"Don't worry, she was just talking about Nyx," Artemis assured her. 

"I resent that," Nyx elbowed his cousin, and she snickered. Estelle, who was on Nyx's other side, shushed them all, but she was smiling as well. In fact, Nyx would say she looked almost smug. 

Though he couldn't possibly imagine why, with Marzanna standing across from them, looking thoroughly put out at being there, surrounded by the Prythian and Terrasen Courts. 

Feyre, who stood on Aelin's other side, cleared her throat. "Start at the beginning. How did the Queens contact you? We haven't heard from them in years." 

"To be honest, I was starting to think they might actually leave us alone," Cassian said, shrugging when Azriel cast him a bemused look. "Wishful thinking, I know." 

"I was in my world," Marzanna began. "When a crack in the air opened in front of me. The women inside asked for my help in finding magic powerful enough to defeat their enemies." 

"That means you, Bat-boy," Danica stage-whispered. She turned to Delilah. "Terrasen and Prythian are magnets for power hungry-tyrants, it seems." Estelle shushed her. 

"My assumption was they were after Prythian," Marzanna continued. "And I told them I had no such power. But I knew where they could find it." 

"And that's where we come in," Nyx turned his head to see Danica facing Delilah again, who leaned away, her nose wrinkling at Danica's closeness. 

"I know the story as well as you do, witch," Delilah muttered. "I don't need a narration." 

"Aw, but it's so cute watching you turn red when I whisper in your ear," Danica's dark red lips pulled up as Delilah's cheeks flooded pink. "See?" 

"I hate you," Delilah declared, taking a step away. 

"No, you like me, beautiful," Danica smirked. "I prefer to think everyone does." 

Nyx noticed Estelle watching Danica with an amused expression. He leaned down to mutter to her, "Is your friend flirting, or is she just being impossible?" 

"Flirting," Estelle whispered back, her amused smile widening. "Definitely flirting. Is it working?" 

Nyx gauged Delilah's mildly uncomfortable blush. "Undecided." 

"Are you two even paying attention?" Artemis hissed suddenly, and Nyx and Estelle both looked up to see Feyre walking closer to Marzanna. 

"You said before that you knew about Erilea from when we fell through your world." Feyre stopped in front of Marzanna. "But how could you have possibly known about a whole world just based on us falling through yours?"