The Princess & The Lord

Part 17

Nyx had spent the next few days regaining his strength. He was itching to get out of his bed, but his mother wouldn't let him leave until Madja had agreed everything was perfectly healed and 3 days later he'd finally been released from his own personal hell.

Nyx hadn't seen or spoken to Elena in 3 days. He'd asked to see her, but she never came. Feyre informed him Elena had taken her family around Velaris showing them their sprawling city, visiting the market squares, and traveling up into the Illyrian Mountains.

Nyx knew why she wasn't visiting. She felt guilty, especially after Bryn had made her feel so awful. He knew how much blame she would place on herself eventhough Nyx didn't. While she didn't visit, his mother let it slip that Elena had asked about him every chance she had. It gave him a small glimmer of hope.

Nyx jumped out of his bed the moment Madja said he was in the clear. He quickly cleaned up and dressed himself in a black tunic and matching pants. He tied up his boots and headed down to the main areas of the River House.

He saw Rhys in the sitting room talking with Aelin and Rowan.

"Where is she?" Nyx asked immediately.

"Nyx, I think you should take a seat." Rhys said calmly. Nyx didn't make a move. He looked over to Aelin and Rowan.

"She'll be down in a moment," Aelin reassured.

Nyx moved slowly to sit in the luscious chair seated in the corner of the sitting room.

"How are you feeling, Nyx?" Rhys asked.

"I feel like I've been useless these past 3 days. I'm ready, what's our next move?" Nyx was eager for any action.

"Azriel hasn't been able to get much from the prisoner. At least not anything Aelin and Rowan couldn't provide," Rhys explained.

"Well let one of us take a crack. I could break his mind. Get him to spill all their secrets," Nyx suggested. Nyx would like nothing more than to leave the creature as a sniveling pile of mush.

"The Valg have powers very similar to yours. We have no idea what could be waiting in their minds. What they could be possible of if you slipped into their head-into the trap they have set for you. They've been inside mine. It almost broke me," Aelin warned. Nyx had no idea Aelin had experienced such an event. He knew it must have been horrible if she had brought it up.

"So we sit back and wait?" Nyx asked. That was the last thing he wanted. He'd felt so useless being forced to rest these past few days.

Nyx heard the quiet patter of footsteps down the stairs and his heart began to race. There was only one person who was capable of making such little noise on her graceful feet.

He saw her golden hair first, streaming down the front of her shoulders. She was dressed in a white tunic that was stark against her tanned, muscled skin. She locked eyes with him for a moment. Those turquoise eyes he'd wanted to catch just a glimpse of for days. But she immediately looked down to the floor. And wouldn't meet his eye line again. She took a seat between her parents.

"As you know, we've reached out to the other High Lords about what happened in the Spring Court," Rhys began. "We need a united front to face this threat. The High Lords of Prythian banded together once before, I believe we will do so again." His father said.

"The more soldiers we can rally, the better our chances will be." Rowan added. "Keeping the Valg from taking more hosts will keep their numbers smaller. That should be the highest priority."

"The other High Lords are aware, but I think our best course of action is for all the courts to meet." Rhys said. Nyx had thought his father would want to set a meeting. The High Lords hadn't all met together since before Nyx was born-since the war against Hybern.