The Heir of Night

42

Theia didn't leave the room until her hands ceased their shaking. Her mind turned to Nyx, the only comfort she could seek now that Nesta pulled her from the small distractions of the day. She didn't like it; the feeling of gnawing dread deep in her stomach, the clawing image of her mother in her mind. Cauldron, she even craved a bottle of wine.

Theia hated the way her emotions could be swung so easily. She had been calm for hours, sitting beside the High Lady, and one conversation had torn away any sense of security in her own mind. Her eyes burned, her fingers twitched. Theia climbed the stairs to the third floor, her tears threatening to spill.

She hadn't cried in a while. Most of Theia's spiraling moments consisted of choking dry sobs, her chest weighing down, her body curling in on itself. Normally, she had Nyx's body to roll into, but seeing the long corridor, she wasn't sure she'd find him first. Wetness hit the apple of her cheek, her throat tightening.

She didn't know if he had even gone to his own room, or where his room was. Theia felt herself cracking apart and she needed him to hold her together. It was too easy. Too easy for Nesta to say something that tore down the walls Theia had been building. She pulled Maia from her mind at every chance, the thought of herself dying, the thought of it all. It came back too quickly, too easily.

"Theia?"

She hadn't realized she was standing in the center of the corridor. Theia turned, chin quivering as she met Nyx's eyes. He had opened his bedroom door, leaning out of it to see her. Theia stumbled toward him, reaching out for his touch. Nyx knew what she needed, he always did.

Nyx strode the last few steps and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Theia fell against his chest, clutching the fabric of his shirt as she let out a cry. She felt as though she couldn't breathe, like the grief of her mother was hitting harder than it had when she woke up next to her body. It felt like grief for herself, her old life, whatever the Hell she was before this male swept her away.

"What did Nesta say?" Nyx asked against her hair. Theia shook her head, pressing her face harder against him in an attempt to be swallowed by his scent. Nyx sighed and nudged her to walk. Theia obeyed, breathing in deeply as she pulled away from him. Nyx led her into his bedroom, and she felt the need to look around. She didn't, however. Theia followed Nyx to his bed and crawled onto his lap as soon as he sat on the edge.

"Tell me what's going on," he hummed, brushing her stray hairs away from her wet cheeks. Theia's breath shuddered, her body involuntarily molding to his torso. She let her head rest on his shoulder, her nose and lips soaking in the warmth of his neck. She didn't want to talk, she wanted to forget. Theia's shaking fingers curled into his shirt again, her lips pressing to his quickening pulse. She felt him swallow, his hand tightening on her knee.

He didn't speak as Theia had her way, kissing his neck and tugging on his shirt. She felt his body pull to hers like she did for him. Anything, anything to forget what plagued her mind. Theia sucked in a breath and ran her tongue along his pulsing skin.

"Theia," Nyx warned, squeezing her knee again. She sighed, knowing he wouldn't take her like this. Attempt at distraction failed, she let her head fall against his shoulder again. The forearm on her lower back slid up, hooking beneath her wings as Nyx pulled her tighter against him. "Tell me what is going on."

"I'm not okay, Nyx," Theia whispered. It sounded like he huffed a laugh, his head shaking slightly.

"Mm, I know that. Tell me what set you off."

"Nesta talked to me about distractions. She said they're temporary, that I need to break to heal," she mumbled, running her nose along the warm skin of his neck. Nyx rocked her slightly, leaning into her touch.