A Court of Love and Devotion

VI

NYX

Nyx, Aria and Catrin landed at the same time on the empty planes outside of Velaris where Azriel had laid an injured Cassian down.

The others arrived right after.

"He was shot," Azriel spanted as he nodded to Cassian's wing, pierced by an arrow. From the look of it, the tip had been poisoned. "They created a diversion so we wouldn't see them coming all the way here."

"Someone needs to get Nesta to safety now," Nyx ordered. "Get her to the cabin. It will be safer there."

Rhys put his hands up to calm his son down. "Velaris is protected. They can come all the way here but they'll never enter the city."

"We've been looking for a way to kill Koschei for months," Mor said. "How did Nesta do it?"

It was Catrin who answered, "Only a deathlord can kill another deathlord." The Inner Circle stiffened but she ignored them. "She created a sword with her death powers that enabled her to kill the most powerful beings."

"She killed Lanthys too," Aria added. "Before the deathlord could kill him," she nodded to Cassian.

"I'm assuming the sword hasn't been Made yet," Amren said. "We should get Nesta to make it now somehow and kill Koschei ourselves."

Nyx exploded. "This isn't about Koschei! This is about saving Nesta."

"It's about more than that, boy," Amren replied coolly.

"It's about more than that?!" Nyx was fuming. "She will kill him in a few years anyway. We can't change the past. You of all people should know that Amren!" Nyx turned to his father. "We need to save her. You need to save her!"

"You might not be aware, but Nesta isn't exactly helpful," Rhys explained. "And she doesn't want anything to do with us."

"She is my aunt and the reason I am alive," Nyx yelled. "I have wings, if you haven't noticed," he spread them for emphasis. "And my mother didn't have the anatomy to birth a baby with wings." Rhys' face dropped at the realization. "Nesta gave her power away to save my mother and me... and you! She's one of the people I love the most in the entire fucking world, alright."

His father's brows shot up.

"When you two had to leave for work for a few days, you know who took care of me? Nesta!" Nyx continued. "When my sister was born and she took all of your attention, guess who made me feel seen. Nesta. Every single time I needed anything, she was there." The Inner Circle gaped at him. Nyx didn't stop the tears from swelling in his eyes. "So you will help her! Not on the basis that it would pain your mate if she died or for the greater good. But for Nesta herself, because she deserves it. Even now."

"My mother was a priestess," Catrin joined in. "One of the priestesses of the House of Wind. Nesta got her to train with her and they reformed the Valkyries together. She helped many priestesses through their trauma while she was healing from her own." Catrin held her head high. "You may judge her all you like for how she chooses to deal with her pain right now, but you can't deny that she is struggling. And she might be difficult sometimes, but she is not a monster!"

Aria remained silent, jaw clenched, staring at nothing. Until her head shot up and her eyes rounded. Everyone followed her stare.

Nesta was here, gaping at them all. "Who are you?" she asked in a murmur, eyes on Nyx, Aria and Catrin.

"You were supposed to go home," Aria scolded her. "Go back now!" She marched up to her mother.

Nesta lifted her chin. "I don't take orders from you."