A Court of Love and Devotion

VII

NYX

Nyx fought alongside his father and Uncle Cassian. The latter would leave no survivors, but neither would Nyx.

Aria had been injured. A spear had pierced her body and if she'd died... No, she couldn't. Nyx couldn't bear to imagine a world without his cousin in it.

His sword cut and sliced and stabbed through anything that came in his way. The monsters fell one by one. His aunt, atop her starred pegasus, Arcturus, slashed Ataraxia through a giant's forehead with a scream of rage. The beast fell with a loud thump, shaking the earth.

His mother summoned her water wolves and they drowned the little demons they encountered. The monsters attempted to bite and claw at their enemies but what could they do against water?

Mor and Emerie fought side by side, their swords working in unison. Callum and Catrin flew beside their mother. Only Uncle Azriel was nowhere in Nyx's vision.

The past Inner Circle had retreated, upon Catrin's request as she'd informed him mind to mind. Indeed, if they died or were gravely injured, the future would be impacted

A loud rumble was heard and stones fell in a pile. The last monsters were slain and the plain was covered in blood and corpses. Nesta summoned her silver fire and burned the corpses to dust which flew away in a wind created by Feyre.

Everyone who had been in the air came back to the ground. Nyx joined Catrin who was looking around animatedly. He realized her father hadn't come back.

A grunt was heard from the rubble of stones and Catrin gasped as she flew to it. Callum was there an instant later along with his mother. The two of them began digging at the stones with her. Everyone gathered around and helped until a bloodied up Azriel was seen again.

"I got you," Callum gasped as he lifted his father. "Are you alright?"

Azriel patted his son's head, "I'll live."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Cassian roared. Nyx turned around to see the tear-streaked face of Sage.

"I came t-to make sure that...", his youngest daughter didn't finish. Nesta came and embraced her daughter who was sobbing loudly as she looked at her bloodied-up family.

"It's alright, my love," she said as she kissed her forehead. "It's over."

Catrin and Callum came on either side of their father and held him up as they walked him to the tents that had been summoned there by the old Inner Circle.

Nyx ran to the makeshift campsite and entered the large tent but before he could check on his cousin, Valeria turned around and ran into her brother's arms as soon as she saw him.

Nyx couldn't help his surprise. After a moment of hesitation, his arms circled her and he held her tightly.

"I'm alright," he reassured her. She nodded and sobbed in his neck. "Five minutes, right?" He chuckled.

"No more than that," she sniffed. "No less than that."

A pale Aria smiled weakly at him from the cot she was laying on. She looked fine. Injured but fine. Nyx sighed in relief.

They're all dead, he spoke in her mind.

You left nothing for me, huh?

Their family entered the tent a moment later, Callum and Catrin still carrying their father. Sage ran to her sister's side as soon as she spotted her. Aria opened her arms wide and gathered her youngest sister to her while Nesta and Cassian looked at them fondly.

Rhys and Feyre arrived and joined in on their children's cuddle. When they finally parted, Nyx looked at the old Inner Circle, all gaping at the scene. He looked for the old Nesta, but she was nowhere to be found.

***

CATRIN

"You're grounded for the next century," her father grunted as she laid him down on a cot. Catrin looked at her twin who grimaced. Yes, they were both in trouble.

"By that he obviously means that he is proud and grateful," her mother said, chuckling. Though her teal eyes were filled with worry.

The healer, Madja, who it seemed had always been ancient, got to the bed. "Thought I saw everything with this court. Yet now I'm seeing double," she grumbled as she inspected the Spymaster who chuckled before turning back to Catrin.

"Explain," he demanded of his daughter.

The healer got to cleaning his wounds and inspecting him while she and Nyx told their family what happened.

When they were done, Aunt Nesta's eyes were lined with silver. Uncle Cassian stroked her back up and down soothingly.

"You didn't have to do all this, you know," she murmured.

"Yes, we did," Aria responded. "They would've killed you."

Emerie sat on the cot. "The monsters wouldn't have been able to get to her, Aria. Besides, they would've protected her," she nodded to the old Inner Circle on the other side of the tent.

"I'm not so sure about that," Aria muttered, flaring her nostrils.

"Yes, they would have, Aria," her mother said, caressing her daughter's head. "Our relationship wasn't ideal back then but they wouldn't have let them get to me. Your father and your aunt would've killed them all at the border."

Aria still pouted. Catrin got up and sat next to her, Nyx did the same. "Hey, it all went pretty well considering our lack of preparation," the female nudged her cousin.

"These monsters were dumb as shit," Nyx admitted.

Aria frowned at him. "Language!"

The prince looked positively astounded. "Excuse me? You're one to talk!"

Aria only briefly looked at her youngest sister on the chair next to her who was clamping her lips, trying not to smile.

Nyx rolled his eyes. "She'll swear soon enough."