A Court of Death and Retribution

chapter 43

Nyx, Nyx, Nyx.

Dark hair, blue eyes, tan skin, a sharp jawline, tattoos, abs, that smirk. I know him.

The music continued in the void. I stayed in my kneeling position on the ground, trying to remember more about him.

He was the one to always bring me back. Now, he's doing it again, but I don't know how to reach that music.

"Nyx?" I spoke, my voice fragile, but there was only the sound of the flute, violin, and cello in return.

I wish I could see him—touch him to gain strength. I scoffed in my head. I can't truly touch him with my stupid siphoning abilities.

My eyes widened in realization. Siphoning.

I wasn't wearing my gloves here, and yet I had been touching whatever ground is in this void. I haven't felt any wind enter my lungs because of it, but maybe it's just because the Mother didn't create this void.

But it was still created. It was full of the Dark Mother's magic.

I flattened my palms on the ground and focused on absorbing that magic. Sweat started to form in my forehead, but when I felt my abilities start to swirl inside of me, I became hopeful. I pushed myself harder—allowed my powers to take control. With one last push, I felt a shift in the void. Then suddenly, the air seemed to get heavier and the fog in my mind started to disappear. Memories flooded my brain at an uncontrollable speed. A tear slid down my cheek as I saw my life replay in a matter of minutes, but I didn't stop siphoning the void.

It felt impossibly tight in here. So much so that I thought I would be squished to death, but I didn't give up. I kept pushing, kept siphoning, until it was all gone.

And when the void collapsed, so did I.

—

Nyx

—

I kept playing that song over and over again down the bond, in her head, in my head hoping that one of those avenues would reach her.

If it did, I had no way of knowing, but I didn't give up.

Hurried footsteps came from behind me. I spun to see Uncle Cassian and Aunt Nesta. "Nyx, the Mother responded to me." Aunt Nesta spoke with shock.

My eyes widened. "What did she say? Did she give you the power to stop this?"

"She said that even a High Fae couldn't hold the power needed to destroy a Goddess." Uncle Cassian rolled his eyes and I slumped in defeat.

"But she seemed...distracted." Aunt Nesta bit the inside of her cheek with furrowed eyebrows.

"What does that mean?" I asked, briefly looking to where Bella destroyed a handful of Dawn Court warriors.

"She mentioned something about a void and that she was trying to break through. Then she left." Aunt Nesta shook her head and looked to the ground, but a weird feeling settled over me.

"Bella always mentioned how the Dark Mother would visit her in a void. Is the Mother trying to reach Bella?" I looked between the two of them, hope blossoming inside of me.

Uncle Cassian thought for a moment. "She needs Bella's help to kill the Dark Mother."

A massive rumble shook the ground below us so much that everyone was forced to their hands and knees. Cracks developed in the ground, separating the earth and creating large chasms. I looked over at Uncle Cassian and Aunt Nesta with shock, then frantically searched for Bella. I couldn't see her.

The battle seemed to pause as everyone struggled to gain footing, so I took my opportunity to shoot off into the sky and find Bella. Hopefully the Dark Mother is having the same struggle as everyone else.

I spotted her curling dark hair splayed out on the ground. A crack in the earth divided her and the Dark Mother, who was struggling to hold her control over her armies. My feet hit the ground, small fractures forming in the earth beneath my feet. The Dark Mother glared in my direction, but I didn't hesitate to run to Bella.

"Stop!" The Dark Mother's yelled, a wild intensity in her eyes. She was losing what little sanity she already had. "She's not yours to take Nyx."

I growled at her as I picked up Bella. She was still breathing, thank the... thank the Mother? Before I could winnow or fly away, the Dark Mother froze me in place.

"I said, she's not yours to take." The Dark Mother snarled at me through clenched teeth.

"She's not yours either. She's her own damn person." I snapped at her.

The Dark Mother laughed. "The power she holds is mine."

Bella stirred in my arms, then I was staring down at her beautiful sage eyes. She always claimed that the Dark Mother had the same eyes as her, but that's not true. Sure, it's the same color, but where Bella's was alight with happiness and hope and all things good in this world, the Dark Mother's only holds greed and envy. Bella blinked a few times, then leaned her head against my chest with a small smile—she could move.

"The power she holds is hers. It may be the same power you wield, but Bella's power is her own." My voice turned dark as my darkness swept around me, waiting for my signal to attack, even though I know it wouldn't do anything to the Dark Mother.

This angered the Dark Mother. With an aggravated scream, she threw her hand out in my direction, black smoke hurdling towards me. I couldn't move to dodge it. My eyes widened as I realized she was going to kill me.

I looked down at Bella when the smoke was only a few feet away from me. If it was my time to leave this world, she's the only image I want in my final moments. Her beautiful and faint smile when I picked her up. Her green eyes that haunted my dreams in the most pleasant way. Her dark curling hair that I enjoyed running my hands through so much. Her hands that would hold mine so perfectly. I wished in this moment to hear her laugh again, so I could leave this land listening to the most beautiful and pure melody there is. I wished that she would say my name. I wished to hear those three letters fall from her perfect lips just one last time. Most of all, I wished I could move even the slightest, so I could turn my body to take the brunt of the attack. Or that I could drop her at the very least.

"I love you Bella." I whispered to her.

Then I winced as the black smoke was right in front of me. As it made contact with my skin, a burst of blinding white light surrounded me.

Was this death?

—

A/N

Thank you so much for 10k views! I'm in awe of the support that this fanfic has and I'm so glad you all like it! Bella's story is over soon, but I'm going to start another fanfic with Azriel and an original character 👀

I hope you all are enjoying your day!

-Em