Manipulated Court

Encounter under the stars

The midnight stars lingered in the sky, complementing the transition between the eternal Spring and the Mortal Forests.

As she approached the edge of the village, though, a sudden chill raced down her spine. She wasn't alone.

A voice whispered in her mind. You don't belong here, do you?

April flinched, her grip tightening around the strap of her satchel. That voice—it wasn't hers. It felt cold, foreign, like an invasion. A daemati. She cursed under her breath, the sudden implanted fear of .

Get out of my head, she snapped back mentally, trying to get a hold of her own mind, but it was too late. He was there, a shadow in the corners of her thoughts.

Relax, the voice murmured. I'm not here to hurt you.

Her fury spiked, mingled with fear. Show yourself.

A figure emerged from the shadows of the trees. He moved with an ease that belied his strength, his wings tucked against his back. Taller than she expected, with deep blue eyes that glinted with mischief and stars, he stepped into the light. It was Nyx. Feyre's son. Rhysand's heir.

She growled, instantly creating sceneries in which he hurt her and pained her. After all, he was from the Night Court. What else could he want from her.

Nyx's smirk faded, replaced by something more serious. "I told you I was not going to hurt you". He growled.

"Get the hell out of my head". She was trembling now.

"Why are you here, daughter of Spring?"

Just exploring," she lied, forcing her voice to remain steady. The last thing she wanted was for him to see how much he rattled her.

"Exploring?" He clicked his tongue in mock disbelief. You're too tense for that.

"Why are you really here?" he asked, his gaze piercing into hers. Somehow, she knew that he would know if she lied again.

A deep and satisfied presence throbbed in her mind.

"I'm helping the humans," April said, pointing to the satchel. "They need food, supplies—"

"And you think you should be here alone? Monsters walk through these forests, specially at these late hours." He interrupted, skepticism dripping from his voice, though she detected some tiny spark of... worry.

"Yes! I'm used to these forests by now, so leave me be!" she replied, frustration bubbling over. "I've been teaching them how to fight, how to survive." She breathed.

Somebody has to care - She didn't say.

Nyx studied her for a moment, his expression a mix of intrigue and disbelief. "But is that really the only reason you're here?"

She clenched her jaw, unwilling to reveal the truth. "It's my choice."

You're not just here to help, he pressed, his tone shifting. You're here because you want to escape something else.

April's heart raced as her defenses rose. "You don't know anything about my life."

"Maybe not", he said, taking a step closer. "But I can see the truth behind your façade".

Tamlin may have raised you to believe you're strong -He stepped closer- , but he also made you feel weak. Didn't he?

Her heart raced, but she forced herself to remain defiant. "I'm not weak," she snapped, but even she could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

You don't have to prove anything to me, he said softly, sincerity breaking through his earlier teasing. I thought he would have changed after my mother. But it seems like he hasn't.

April hesitated, his words striking a chord. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice softer than she intended.

Nyx's expression shifted, revealing a flicker of understanding. I've seen how he treats you. Like you're not enough, like you're a flaw in his legacy. That must be hard to carry.

She shook her head, angry tears pricking her eyes. "Stop pretending to know me, Nyx. You don't understand."

Did Tamlin finally push you too far?

The mention of her father made her pulse quicken, anger and pain intertwining. "I said stop pretending to know me," she snapped, her voice thick with emotion.

Nyx raised an eyebrow, his smirk returning but lacking its earlier bite. That understanding expression gone.

"Very well. But don't say I didn't warn you".

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the clearing, the weight of his words hanging in the air like a storm cloud. April clenched her fists, torn between anger and the lingering feeling of being seen for the first time. At the same time, though, she pondered at his words.

I thought he would have changed after my mother

What was he even talking about, it was his mother that, although having saved Prythian, destroyed her Court and her father! At least that was what she had been believing for a long time.