Violet Dreams

Chapter 17

"Arabella! Slow down!" Cassian called from behind her.

After running her many laps in the training ring, Cassian shared the location of Windhaven with Arabella. She had taken off at alarming speeds, Cassian had rushed to keep up with her. She was determined to talk to Nyx and ask why she'd been ignored by him. Arabella was stomping through the muddy ground of Windhaven her sights set on the hut where hundreds of Illyrians were lurking around. She had already checked the training rings which meant Nyx was elsewhere.

"Arabella!" Cassian called.

She ignored him, each step was being fuelled by rage and confusion. Nyx had ignored her for days, not a single person could tell her why. Rhys and Feyre were acting strange and Arabella was desperate to be around Nyx. She felt empty when he wasn't there, she checked his room every evening to see if he had returned like a lovesick fool. She felt stupid and naive for thinking Nyx cared about her. He was just another Zachery, Arabella was fuming.

As she got closer to the hut more and more Illyrians flooded out. She thought it was strange that so many Illyrians were leaving a place that contained food but she continued on. Arabella's hands were glowing golden, her power of destruction, as she pushed the hut door open.

"Speak about my mate again, and I'll rip you apart".

Nyx was holding Rex by the collar and speaking venom into his face. Mate? Arabella thought. Nyx had a mate? Was that why she'd been ignored? Had he found his mate and been unable to tell Arabella the truth?

"Arabella?" Leon said confused.

Leon was looking both distraught and confused at Arabella's appearance but he didn't say anything as she dragged Nyx away from Rex.

"Prick", she hissed throwing Nyx to the floor.

Nyx's eyes grew wide out of fear, his eyes flicking between her face and her glowing palms. The Dawn Court was known for its healing abilities, but nobody ever spoke about the chaos that came with it. Knowing how to heal injuries also meant you knew how to reverse them.

"Belle?" Nyx said.

"Ignorant prick", Arabella said resisting the urge to give into her powers.

She barely registered Cassian breaking through the door and helping Rex and Leon away. Arabella was feeling a rage she had never felt before. He had left her. She had felt lonely and useless all over again. She had let herself care for him so quickly.

"Bella, let's be sensible here", Nyx said picking himself up off the ground.

"You left me!" Arabella growled, "you left me and didn't say a thing!"

"I have my reasons, let's talk about this".

"And now!", Arabella said clenching her fists, "I find out you have a mate! Have you been kissing me behind her back!"

Nyx seemed to bristle at that, "no, I haven't been kissing anyone behind anyone's back".

Arabella went to shove him out of anger but Nyx pushed her back with his darkness. This only forced Arabella to grow more angry.

"Please Arabella, you're being irrational, let's talk about this", Nyx tried to calm her.

"Irrational?!" Arabella shouted, "I'm being irrational?!"

"That was...maybe...a poor choice of words", Nyx winced.

Arabella growled and allowed her power to push back against Nyx's. His darkness and her golden light clashed in the air, everybody had abandoned the cafeteria by now.

"I started to care for you!" Arabella shouted tears making her vision misty, "and you treated me just like he did!"

"Like who?" Nyx growled.

"Like Zachery!" Arabella hissed back, "he manipulated me, made me think I loved him just so the pain would hurt more".

Nyx's power slowly began swallowing hers as she got sadder and sadder. Arabella had felt alone and abandoned a lot in her lifetime. She had gone through a mountain of pain by herself thinking nobody else would ever be there for her. But, Nyx had always been there, when she was recovering from Zachery's torment, Nyx had been taking her mind off of it during meetings, albeit through teasing. Nyx had always been there. And then he left, Arabella knew it had only been a few days but she had never felt so alone before. She collapsed to the ground, her knees giving way. Nyx rushed forward, his darkness wrapping her in a comforting hug, his wings curling around her protectively.

"Arabella", he said softly, "I didn't mean to upset you".

Arabella continued to sob into his chest. She had no idea why his absence had broken her so badly.

"I'm sorry", she said, "I'm just being stupid".

"No, if that's how you feel then let's talk about it", he said allowing her to snuggle into his chest.

Arabella tried to calm her breathing, allowing Nyx the time to run his fingers through her curls.

"I felt so alone without you", she said softly, "I'd never felt that alone before".

"I'm sorry, darling", Nyx said calmly, "I didn't want you to feel that way, I just needed some time by myself".

"Why?" Arabella asked looking up into his violet eyes.

"My dad and I got into an argument", Nyx sighed, "he made me really angry and I needed time to calm down".

"So...you don't hate me?"

Nyx smiled softly, "I could never hate you, beautiful".

She kissed him on cheek, "I'm sorry I overreacted".

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you why I was leaving".

Arabella breathed a sigh. She had been stupid and emotional, now she'd have to live with the fact she chased after Nyx for no reason. But it wouldn't matter now anyway, he had a mate, and Arabella would respect that sacred bond by putting distance between her and Nyx.