Nyx | Carpe Noctem ✓

Chapter 13: Return to the Mortal Lands

∙ Nyx POV ∙

I had to see her. I had to check up on her. I was not going to call in the bargain — I just wanted to see her. After having cleaned the whole house and eaten breakfast with my family I accused myself to have some things to do. I had said I was going to do stuff with Loran and Arkon and my parents believed me — my shields had been up all the time.

I winnowed to the Mortal Lands and walked through the village Madis lived in. Where was I going now actually? It was just before lunchtime...
I approached the poorhouse — where else should she be at that time, right?

"Madis is not here, fae!" a female snarled loudly behind me and I quickly spun around. There stood a girl with bright red hair, green eyes and freckles all over her face. She was small and I remembered her as the second maid when I had first met Madis. She wore the same huge wool winter coat as Madis, hands clothed in thick gloves. She glowered at me, eyes glowing and promising violence. Behind her appeared a guy who grabbed her by her hand.

"Where can I find her?" I asked, ignoring her tone and what she had just say.

"Leave her alone, fae filth!" she snarled and I let a cold chuckle escape my lips. "Come on." I had to try once again, approaching them with rather large and fast steps. Veiling her face in challenge, the small female stood her ground, glaring at me.

I was towering over her but there was no ounce of fear in her features. Dammit.

"Leave. I mean it," the boy now hissed at me and I furrowed my brows at him. He somehow seemed to shield the smaller female, but still gave her the room to stand up against me.

"Do you have any idea whom you are talking to and what I could do to you?" I said smugly, trying to threaten them at least a bit. My stomach twisted, palms turning sweaty and I got nervous. Fucking hell, just tell me where she is!

"Trust me, I am not afraid of you. Not a single bit," the girl hissed. I definitely flabbergasted by her boldness. But then, Madis wasn't that much different—apperently that was a mortal thing.

"Alright, let me try it differently. She is ill isn't she? Maybe we could help her with fae magic?" I tried once more and the girl barred her teeth again.

"She is not ill, she is dying. Stuff your stupid fae magic up your ass. No one can help her anymore!" she cried out, pushing past me and storming towards the house, sobbing loudly.

My mouth dropped open and I gasped, trying to catch my breath. Madis was dying...

The boy wanted to run past me too but I quickly grabbed him by his arm. "You tell me now what is going on! Everything, or I will forget myself!" I growled, eyes glowing and straightening to my full height while squaring my shoulders. He swallowed loudly but nodded, pain and fear obvious on his face.

"Excuse Aesa. It is not easy for all of us. We are somehow a family and seeing Madis like that..." he drifted off, averting his eyes from me and sniffed.

Reaching up a hand he wiped some snot from his nose and looked at me again. "I have known Madis since the very day she was put into the poorhouse. She was born with a heart disease. The medicus gave her a life expectancy of a year. But she got older than that, the disease barely affected her anymore until—" He swallowed thickly and cut himself off. My heart sped up and I felt my throat go dry.

"Until the illness broke out fully. That was when she was around eight and was consequently brought here. The former matron immediately took her in, let a medicus look over her. I think it was her father who had informed the matron about her illness and her condition, but I am not quite sure. Madis does not like to talk about her former family. Please, don't tell her that I told you. With the right medicine and sports and enough fresh air and nourishment she learned to live with the illness. Everything got worse when the old matron died and the new matron took over. Her state got worse and worse, although she would never show and admit it. The new matron does not believe her, does not give her breaks and works her till the very end. Her heart is getting weaker and weaker by the minute, her lungs also threaten to give in. The medicus—"