Nyx | Carpe Noctem ✓

Chapter 63: The Suriel and A Loss of Control

∙ Madis POV  ∙

"Madis Archeron." Once again I heard the voice, the voice that was at once one and many, old and young, and beautiful and grotesque.

And there he was again – the being that had a face that looked like it had been crafted from dried, weatherworn bone, its skin discarded, a lipless mouth and too-long teeth held by blackened gums, slitted holes for nostrils, eyes like swirling pits of milky white.

I smiled brightly when I approached him, signalling that I would free him from the trap.
Peeking above the ragged neck of its dark robes was a body of veins and bones, as dried scary as the texture of its face.

The cloak of him swirled in the wind when the milky white eyes narrowed in on me and he assessed me.

"So you sought me out again, Madis Archeron?"
"I see you know I accepted the bond?" I did not really know if I was in the place to ask questions, but he did not seem to mind, something like a gurgling chuckle leaving him, his whole body shuddering. "I had no doubt about that. You seemed so very drunk in love the last time we mate, my dear Madis."

I had to give the Suriel that, I probably had seemed very drunk in love and somehow still did.

"You had your mating ceremony, yes?"

I was impatient and the Suriel just wanted to chat away? I wasn't going to be impolite so I followed, but actually I just wanted my answers.

"Yes, we did and we talked about me."
"Oh people like to talk about me," the Suriel pondered, its ragged teeth flashing. "Did you tell Feyre Cursebreaker about me?"

A cool breeze brushed through the trees and over my skin, blowing hair into my face and making the the Suriel's cloak shift. I shuddered slightly while the being did not move an inch.

"I did," I said and added, "Shouldn't I be the one asking questions."

"Of course, Madis Archeron, just ask ahead."

I chuckled lowly and shook my head at the Suriel. I liked him, he was a little scary but actually had a heart of gold. Well, did he have a heart? I had no idea what lurked under this cloak. And...the thought of it having a heart made me think if he can love. Did the Suriel have a lover? A husband? It was not my place to ask, I could only wonder.

"Madis," he fetched me back to reality and I lifted my gaze to his. "Your questions." Once again this voice that was at once one and many, old and young, and beautiful and grotesque and made my skin tingle and a shudder course through my whole body.

An owl could be heard in the distance, the moon high up on the night sky.

"I think I figured out the part about my being a unifier of realms."

"You did." Not a question. A statement. The Suriel inclined his head, signaling that I should continue.

"I am from the Mortal Lands and I live in the Night Court. I am a bridge between the Mortal and Faery lands."

"That you are, Madis Archeron," the Suriel confirmed, inclining his head again, his cloak flowing in the rising wind. The grass beneath my shoes was wet, glazed with dew, and I knew it was already very late at night. I hoped Nyx hadn't woken and would be looking for me. I did not want him to worry.

"But what did I do to deserve this title? Feyre would deserve it as well."

"You haven't done much yet. You helped your friends, Madis. But this title is more about what you will do in the future." For a short moment the Suriel looked past me.

"And what will I do?"
"Unify realms, girl," he said, matter-of-fact. "You will help. You will do more than you can imagine now."

"And what will that be?" I grew impatient, the volume of my voice rising. "Will I help with resources and the things I sew?"