A Court of Love and Hate

Chapter 4- Nyx

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After his parents had finished interrogating Evalin, dinner had proceeded as usual. Mor making fun of Cassian, Amren snickering, Azriel watching with wary eyes. The only thing that had changed was that Nyx was busy staring at his mate. He wished she knew what she was to him, but he knew she did not.

Nyx could tell that she was scared of the whole situation, but she did not show it. She sat with her soldiers drawn back and a smirk on her face. She kept a sharp eye on every movement around her and looked over her shoulder at the empty wall. Often.

"So, Evalin," Cassian began. "How old are you?"

Evalin turned a sharp eye on Nyx's uncle, considered, then answered his question: "I am twenty-three."

"What is Terrasen like?" Elain questioned with a soft smile on her face.
"Oh its's absolutely beautiful!" Evalin exclaimed.

Nyx noted that she seemed to forget that she was not around people she trusted. A glint appeared in her eye and it was obvious just how much she loved her home. Joy spilled from every pore of her body as she spoke of her country.

"You can see the Staghorn mountains from the capital, Orynth, where the castle is. Terrasen is green and blue and purple and it's filled to the brim with the most beautiful pieces of nature you could ever see. There are rolling green fields filled with kingsflame," at Elain's confused face, she elaborated. "It is this beautiful flower that blooms only in Terrasen when a great ruler has come to power. It kind of looks like a leaf in the fall time, with gorgeous hues of yellow and orange and gold. There hasn't been more than one flower bloom in centuries." she boasted.

"Your uncle must be a very powerful ruler." Azriel commented.

Evalin turned to him. Nyx could see in her eyes that she was hiding a very important detail. "Something like that."

Nyx watched as his mother and father made eye contact. They had noticed as well.

"What is your life like in Terrasen?" Morrigan asked. "Are there huge parties?"

"Oh, I'm sure there are," Evalin smirked. "That's not really my scene though. I prefer the theater and the library to any parties."

"You don't attend any parties?" Mor almost frowned. Nyx grinned, she was most definitely upset that her new friend did not have the same interests as her.

"Well, I guess there is this one party. All of my family and friends come from all over the world every solstice to celebrate. All of my cousins and siblings and friends are in one place. And Terrasen always hosts. We have bonfires in the fields behind the castle where we sing songs of the old language and we dance and just live. The best part is that my parents get to see all of their closest friends. It's an annual thing, but sometimes it feels like it will never come."

"Why not just all live in the same city?" Nesta asked quite bluntly.

Nyx watched as Evalin thought of the best way to answer his aunt's question. "Well they are all from different countries."

"Well why not move to the same one?" Nesta challenged.

"They cannot."

"Why not? It sounds like your uncle would be happy to host them in Terrasen."

Evalin locked her eyes with Nyx and he could tell that she was almost out of answers as she smirked and said, "They are not as willing to permanently leave their homes as they are to visit."

Mor began, "Well surely—"

"How many other worlds have you studied?" Nyx practically yelled as he cut off his aunt.