Heir of Dreams and Princess of Light

Chapter 2: The Breaking Point

The moment Nyx set foot in his own world, something grabbed onto his chest and pulled. Hard. 

He gasped at the intensity of it, grabbing at his stomach with one hand as he staggered a step. It felt like someone had tied a string around his heart, and was tugging on it with all their might. 

He took on involuntary step backward, following the feeling, but before he could fall back through the portal, it closed behind him. 

Immediately, the feeling faded. Nyx straightened, confused, only to be suddenly attacked from both sides. He flailed backward as the two females flung their arms around him, one on his left and the other on his right. 

"YOU STUPID FUCKING IDIOT--" 

"I was so worried about you, you imbecile--"

"WE LOOKED EVERYWHERE FOR YOU--" 

"We knew you'd World-Walked but we didn't really know how--"

"AND THEN AUNT FEYRE AND UNCLE RHYS WERE GONE AND--" 

"Alright, I get it!!" Nyx shouted over Elsebeth and Katra's warring voices, wrapping his arms around both of them and hugging them tight. He leaned down to press his cheek into Katra's shoulder. "I'm sorry for worrying you." For a few seconds, he smiled, so happy to see them again. But then...

As good as it was to see his friends, everything they did served as a reminder of what he'd left behind. He'd hugged the Princess similarly to how Elsebeth hugged him now less than an hour ago, as if worried the person you were holding would fade if you didn't hold on tight enough. 

"You're still a fucking idiot," Katra repeated, calmer now, her voice coming from right beside his ear. "But I'm glad you're home." 

"I'm--" Nyx started to say he was glad, too, but found he couldn't say the words. Instead, he pulled back, pasting as bright a smile as he could onto his face. "I'm glad to see you both. I've missed you." 

Katra smiled at him, but Elsebeth's eyes narrowed. "What's wrong with you?" 

Nyx did his best to keep his smile on his face, but he felt as if his heart was sinking like a stone to the floor. "What do you mean?" 

"Something happened to you," Elsebeth accused, poking his shoulder. When he didn't joke, or tease, or do anything he would have done a few months ago, the worry on her face increased. "What happened? Are you okay?" 

Nyx looked up and found his mother watching him carefully. Her features asked the silent question; Are you okay?

Nyx's heart squeezed to the point of pain. He finally shook his head slowly. No, he was not okay. 

Feyre looked, if possible, even more miserable than he felt. She shook her head, turned away from him and walked over to where Rhys was speaking with Nesta, Emerie, and Amren. 

"Nyx," Katra's voice was soft now, quiet in a way that reminded Nyx of his mother. He looked back down at his cousin, finding her lips pursed together. "Tell us what happened." 

Nyx swallowed, feeling like he was swallowing sand. "I-- I met someone." 

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Nyx wasn't normally a very emotional person. Or, at least, not in front of other people. But the moment Katra and Elsebeth pulled him inside the river-house, he couldn't stop himself. Every emotion he'd been holding back as he stepped through that gods-damned portal bubbled to the surface, and he couldn't stop. 

All it took was seeing the box of orchids outside the window. And it all hit him at once. 

That was really it. That had been the last time he'd see her, ever again, in his entire life.