The Princess & The Lord

Part 28

Elena heard the sound of sliding curtains before the bright light hit her eyes. She groaned loudly and pulled the covers over her head.

Elena heard Nyx's chuckle a moment later, "We are already late, Princess." His feet shuffled across the floor.

Elena groaned even louder, "Why did you let me drink so much of that wine?" She said as she rolled onto her other side facing away from the window.

Nyx scoffed, "You say that as if I have any control over your actions." She felt the bed shift under Nyx's weight as he ripped the covers off and she could see his dazzling grin looking down on her. It didn't seem possible for someone like him to exist, someone so perfect- the way his raven hair curled, his tanned skin, his violet eyes sparking in the light.

"Elena darling, let's go home," Nyx said as he tucked a strand of her golden hair behind her pointed ear. Elena groaned a final time, but stood up from the bed. Nyx's shirt she wore hung down to her thighs.

She walked into the closet to find a set of clothes laid out while the rest of her things had been magically packed away, "You've been busy it seems," Elena said as she pulled her tunic over her head and brushed through her tangled hair.

"Well someone had to make sure we got out of here on time and I took a guess as to how you'd be feeling this morning." She walked out of the closet and he smirked at her, "I was correct."

She lightly pushed him in the chest as she smiled up at him. He grabbed her wrists against his chest and pulled her in to a gentle kiss. She pulled back and grinned up at him, "I thought we were late?"

"What's a few more minutes?" he said as he pulled her back in.

Nyx and Elena met their families in the foyer of the Winter Court Palace. Their legion bid farewell to the other High Lords and members of their courts and swiftly winnowed back to Velaris.

Returning back to the River House meant jumping back into all of the work that was set out in front of them. Rhys brought Rowan, Aelin, Aedion, Fenrys, and Lorcan to the Illyrian training camp where they met with Cassian and Azriel to discuss their numbers and get a glimpse of their training. Lysandra and Elide helped Feyre and Elain as they sorted through inventory and supplies, figuring out how to feed and arm their warriors for battle. Manon and Dorian were tasked with scouting the surrounding mountains to see if they could find any trace of Valg nearby.

Elena stood in the training ring across from Nyx as Bryn, Gavriel, Cal, and Aster leaned up against the ropes. "Hit me with it," Elena commanded Nyx. The palm at his side was engulfed in an orange flame.

"I don't want to hurt you," Nyx said hesitantly.

Elena just smirked as Gavriel let out a laugh. It's cute that you think you can hurt me. She smiled at him. This is how you train. This is how you get stronger. Now hit me with it.

"You've been able to wield fire for, what? A week? A week and you think you're better at it than her?" Bryn said with irony dripping from her words.

Nyx rolled his eyes and shot a ball of flame towards Elena. She caught the flame seamlessly as she spun around and sent it right back at him. He held up his arm and shield of darkness formed to meet the flame and was devoured in the shadows.

Nyx pulled the water from the wet earth and sent it spilling across floor of the ring. He knelt down and placed his fingers in the water as it quickly turned to ice beneath his touch. He took a few running steps before he slid across the ice. He angled his foot to take Elena's feet out from under her. She was suspended up in the air for a moment before she disappeared into the shadows. She appeared above him with a dagger of ice pressed against his neck. "Not bad, princeling," she said as she grinned down at him.