The Dark Heir - Nyx

20. Theia.

Sleep came easier than Theia had expected. She slept through the night, only waking a couple times from nightmares filled with Nyx's void face. Her body didn't leave the bed until the sun had been up for a few hours. By the time she was bathed and dressed, she only had an hour until the tavern needed to be open.

Theia trudged through the village, her eyes still heavy with sleep. The bitter chill from the wind was horrid against her damp hair, making her teeth chatter. She pulled her key from her pocket and unlocked the tavern door. When Theia pushed it open, any lightness she felt was gone.

Shattered glass was scattered across the floor, along with the sticky residue of spilled alcohol. It smelled strongly with whiskey and ale, and there were dirtied glasses spread across the counter. Elena had never left it this bad. With a groan of frustration, Theia slammed the tavern door shut and began pulling her coat off.

With her coat now hung and her sleeves pulled up to her elbows, Theia got to work. She started with the glasses, stacking them along a dry cloth as she moved to the counter. The stench was suitable for a tavern, but gave her a headache. Theia pulled out the glass jar of vinegar and citrus, a cleaning liquid Nico had made when trade of fruits was easier to come by. It was certainly old, but its strong scent washed away the odor of ale.

Theia dipped a cloth in it and began to scrub the counters, her other hand covering her nose to avoid the pungent scent. The scent led to a throbbing ache in her head, and Theia pulled the windows open before she decided to clean the floors. She started the fire to add warmth with the windows open, and turned to face the open room. Theia grimaced as she grabbed the broom and began sweeping the shattered glass.

The door to the tavern opened, making Theia huff out a breath and glare at the intruder. Nyx was slipping past the door, his arm lifted to cover his nose as he kicked the door shut.

"What is that?" He gasped, staring wide-eyed at Theia. She frowned, not understanding why he was at the tavern, nor why he held a bakery bag and two ceramic mugs. Theia leaned her arm on the broom.

"I'm cleaning. What are you doing here?"

Nyx lowered his arm, his eye twitching as he took in the stench. "I brought you tea and pastries. I assumed you'd be tired after staying at my house so late, and you never ate dinner."

As if on cue, Theia felt her stomach tighten with hunger. She studied him with a quizzical look, her other hand gripping the broom. Their friendship did not require him coming to the tavern, feeding her breakfast, or rather spending any time with her. As much as she had wanted to see him the night before, it was not out of friendship. It had been out of worry and the urge to speak with him after the truth had come out. Theia thought it would almost be too painful if he spent much time around her.

"You don't need to do that," she answered, her brows lowering as she continued to sweep. She heard him set the mugs and bag down, and then the sticky footsteps nearing. She clenched her jaw and ignored his presence, desperate to get her job done. Her head whipped up when Nyx's hand stopped the broom, a hint of amusement glittering in his eyes.

"Go eat. I'll do this," he offered, though he gave her no choice as he pulled the handle from her grip. Theia bit down on her tongue, shielding Nyx from the rage she felt funneling towards him. He was doing something kind, and it felt strange. It felt foreign. He was not the male that tricked her into letting him fuck her a few nights before. It felt like a ploy, a trick to get her to trust him. She didn't.

Theia opened her mouth to argue, but her stomach clenched with hunger again. Nyx stared her down, waiting for a fight, but Theia turned and marched to the counter. Nyx let out a sound that Theia couldn't decipher as she sat herself on one of the stools and began sipping the cooling tea. She watched him clean, her fingers reaching into the bag and tearing apart the sticky pastry.