Manipulated Court

Bargain

As April bit into the juicy, succulent fruit, the flavors exploded in her mouth—far better than anything she'd tasted in the Spring Court. Still, despite the heavenly taste, her mind was weighed down by darker thoughts. Between bites, she glanced at Nyx, who was sitting patiently, watching her with quiet attentiveness.

"What will happen to Tamlin now?" she asked, her voice soft but laden with concern. She couldn't avoid the topic any longer.

Nyx's expression didn't change much, but there was a flicker in his blue eyes. "My Father sent him a message," he said, his voice calm, measured. "He let him know that you're safe, and that you're with us."

April paused, her fork hanging mid-air as her thoughts spiraled. The moment she returned to the manor, she knew what awaited her. Tamlin's rage. The destruction. The suffocating control. She felt her chest tighten at the thought of facing him again, of being dragged back into that cage.

The fruit in her hand suddenly lost its appeal.

She stilled, her entire body going rigid at the idea of going back.

I can't go back. I won't.

Nyx, sensing her distress, easily reached out to her mind once more, his voice soothing and gentle.

April, you don't have to make any decisions right now. It's okay to take your time.

His reassurance made her release a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She was too tired, too overwhelmed to think about going back to the Spring Court. Even the thought of it made her stomach churn. Nyx was right; she needed time to process everything.

But then, his voice cut through the quiet of the room, and she looked up, curiosity flickering in her gaze. "I'd like to propose a bargain with you," he said, leaning forward just slightly, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity she hadn't expected.

Her brow furrowed, intrigued despite herself. "A bargain?" she repeated.

Nyx nodded, his expression both serious and oddly playful. "Yes. I'll help you regain your memories—the ones you lost, the truth that was taken from you—in exchange for one thing."

She tilted her head, unsure where this was going. Knowing him, he could ask from a piece of salt to a life changing action. "And what's that?"

A slow smile tugged at his lips, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "A tour. Through my Court. Whenever I feel like it."

April blinked, the weight of his words sinking in.

What?

"Again, a tour through-"

"No, I understood the first time, you prick" Her annoyed voice amused him. He knew she hated when he got to her head, but her reactions were too adorable to stop him.

She thought about it for a second —about the memories part of the deal. She still didn't trust him completely, not yet. But she couldn't deny that despite the pain he had caused her during their last encounter, Nyx had ultimately brought some of her memories back. He had shown her the truth, or at least a glimpse of it.

For so long, she had been manipulated, her reality twisted and shaped by Tamlin and his lies. She was sick of it. Sick of feeling like a puppet in someone else's game.

But Nyx... Nyx had, however painfully, been truthful with her from the beginning. She remembered that High Lords meeting, how he had tried to reach her.

Swallowing, she set the fork down and looked into his eyes, searching them for any sign of deception. There was none—only sincerity, and something else. Something warm and unyielding that tugged at the bond between them.

"I don't want it to be like last time," she said quietly. "I can't... I can't go through that kind of pain without agreeing to again."

Nyx's expression softened, his blue eyes darkening with regret. "I swear to you, April, I'll find another way. It won't be like last time."

She sighed. "Promise you will never do something like that to me again"

"I promise, with all my heart and by the Cauldron, that I will never do that again."

For a long moment, she didn't speak, the weight of his proposal settling on her. The thought of getting her memories back—of knowing the truth—was tempting. And Nyx... despite everything, she believed him.

She was tired of the lies. She wanted the truth, even if it hurt.

"Alright," she finally said, her voice steady. "I'll make the bargain with you."

Nyx's smile returned, this time more genuine. He reached out, his hand brushing hers ever so lightly. A spark of something passed between them—something powerful, binding.

"The bargain is struck," he whispered, and a soft hum of magic sealed the deal.

Two tingling sensations caressed her at once: one on her right thigh; the other on her left breast. She would investigate that later.

As for now, April didn't know whether to feel relieved or apprehensive. But deep down, in a part of her that had long been locked away, she felt something shift—a faint glimmer of hope.