The Princess & The Lord

Part 18

Elena could feel his shadows fillled with anger- with rage. She wondered if it finally hit, the realization that everything happening to his world was her fault.

She stood up and looked at Nyx. She'd never seen anger like this on him. Normally he was fairly even-tempered. Maybe more-so on the joyous side, his personality naturally flirty and arrogant.

Elena could hear Aster and Cal walking up behind her.

"What does he want?" Cal asked

"He wants to talk," Elena said not breaking Nyx's stare.

"I don't like him," Aster said.

"So subtle," Fenrys mumbled under his breath.

"He can hear you," Elena said to Aster.

"I don't care. There's something off about him," Aster explained.

"Aster," Manon hissed and gave him a disappointing look.

"He's different, that's not a bad thing. Maybe we need different," Elena said as she turned towards Aster.

"Haven't you ever wondered why his powers are so similar to the Valg," Cal added.

"Cal, that's enough." Lorcan said

Flames lit Elena's eyes. "His family has opened their home to you and this is how you treat them? If you don't trust him, then you two can leave." She sneered as she point her finger into the middle of Cal's chest. She looked towards Aster, "He's been nothing but welcoming to me. He's risked his life to save mine. You don't get to make judgements. You don't even know him. You haven't even tried to get to know him, so you don't get to have an opinion."

She turned around to face the balcony, but Nyx was gone.

"She's right," Elena heard Dorian say behind her. "We have raised you to be better than this. You are to be a king. This is not how you treat allies."

Elena winnowed to the balcony. She couldn't see him, but she followed the tug on her soul. She walked down the long hallway, then down the stairs, and out the front door.

She shifted into her wings and flew down along the Sidra. She knew exactly where he would go. Like an invisible string was pulling her right to him.

She saw him pacing back and forth along the river trying to regain his cool. She landed along the bank for the river, the spot they had spent so many evenings watching the sunset.

She shifted back into her fae form. She gave him his space as she quietly spoke, "I'm sorry about them. They don't know you like I do. They don't know anything about you."

He continued to fume in silence refusing to stop. He paced back and forth focusing down on his boots.

"Nyx, I'm sorry okay?" Elena began. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I never wanted to endanger your world-"

"You think that's what this is about?" He scoffed. " I don't know how else to tell you, the Valg, Orcus, none of it is your fault. I could never blame you for that."

"I don't understand. Why are you so angry?" She pleaded.

"Because-" he stomped over to her. He grabbed her arm, making sure not to hurt her, and pulled up her sleeve revealing the tattoo. "Because of this."

Elena was shocked. She was silent. She didn't know how he found out about it. She had been very careful to keep it hidden using her sleeves or armor.

"Where did you get this from?" He asked angrily. "Where?"

Elena stayed quiet. She looked down at his hand still holding tightly to her wrist.

"You have no idea what you've done. How could you be so naive? How could you be so foolish to make a bargain?" Nyx continued on.