The Heir of Night

16

"What?"

Nyx's face was twisted in confusion, his eyes laid on her face in waiting. Theia swallowed roughly, crossing her arms. It felt degrading being on her knees beneath him. Her head tilted back as she met his eyes more clearly, afraid to stand as though he may take it as another attack.

"You told the trainees that I am spoken for. They all assume that you and I have some type of relationship. Why would you tell them that, Nyx?" His face softened when he realized what she had meant.

"That male assaulted you, Theia. I wanted to make my point and show him that you have someone to protect you. I didn't want it to happen again," he argued. His words had Theia flinching, and then her glare hardened.

"Protect me? I don't need protection, Nyx. I would've accepted whatever he had planned for me and would've grown stronger from it. That shit happens to females all over these mountains, it's not uncommon. At this point, it's merely the question of when it will happen, not if. I fought back and I would've fought back until I couldn't anymore," she spat. Nyx laughed- laughed.

"He had you against the wall. Yes, you bit his tongue but is that going to stop him? No, Theia, it wouldn't have. You refuse to train, so I'll be there to tear the Gods damned monsters off of you. You begged for my help, for my father's help, so just accept what we give you," he sneered back, crossing his arms. Theia felt a growl deep in her throat that brought her to her feet. She stepped forward, craning her neck as she glared up at the heir.

"I asked for your help for everyone who suffers with poverty and abuse from the warriors here. Not just me." Nyx rolled his eyes, a hand falling to motion at her.

"You were being abused by a male, and I helped. Baby steps, isn't that the saying? I did my part, and now you're scolding me for it." Theia had to curl her nails into her palms to stop herself from launching at him again.

"Well, with the way you helped, now the warriors are under the assumption that I belong to you. For once in my life, I am not responsible for putting food on the table or ensuring my mother is bathed. I want to live the life I had yet to have, and that includes the single nights with random strangers! I can't have that now, thanks to you," she shouted, unable to stop herself from shoving his chest again. Nyx caught her wrists again, bending down so that his face was nearly level with hers.

"You want to fuck a stranger? Go ahead, these bastards don't care about infidelity. You flaunt those pretty eyes of yours and half the fucking war camp will be on their knees for you-"

"They won't, Nyx! They're terrified of you and your father, so they won't touch me. I am just as alone as I was two months ago." Nyx scoffed at her words, his thumbs pressing against her pulse in her wrist. Theia pulled her arms from him, shoving his chest again before taking a step back. "Do not touch me, Nyx."

"Why are you so adamant on fucking these males? You've seen first hand what they are like. None of them will be adequate partners, so why waste your time? You want someone good? Let me take you back to Velaris and you can parole the taverns there. This is a small village, you aren't bound to only its residents," Nyx suggested, his eyes blinking into an exasperated look. Theia's nostrils flared and she forced her eyes around the room so she didn't have to look at his face longer than necessary.

"This is my home, Nyx. If I want to find a partner, why wouldn't I search here? And now I cannot, because you have branded me your whore when I have never touched you. What about your females? What about the ones you bring into this house? What will they think?"

"Cauldron, Theia. You truly are naive. Nobody cares about loyalty with a partner as much as you assume that they do. I could be married to you and go find someone for the night and they wouldn't bat an eye. I only told them that you're spoken for so that they'd think twice about hurting you, not fucking you."