Nyx | Carpe Noctem ✓

Chapter 62: A Plan?

∙ Madis POV  ∙

I screamed against the palm that pressed down on my mouth, wiggling on the ground and trying to trash my hands around me. My own palm came in contact with a surface, a head assumed and then—

This was a child. A child had attacked me?

I stopped fighting and just lay on the ground in defeat — I was not going to fight a child.
Still I curled my fingers around the tiny, fragile wrist of my attacker, softly peeling the hand of my mouth. "What do you think you are doing?" I asked, my expression incredulous.

Only then did I allowed myself to fully examine my attacker. It was a young girl, barely ten years I guessed. Her hair was thin and dull, her eyes empty and her body barely skin and bones.

"You are Madis Hale. You are the one who made it. How did you do it?"

For a moment I felt like I should say Madis Archeron, but I did not. For more than one reason.

The girl's eyes widened and I gasped I assumed she was a member of the Children of the Blessed. She had this look in her eyes, that look that gave her away. I did not know what to do. I did not want to shove her away, knowing I would hurt her. I had gained quite some strength through being fae and she was tiny and weak.

"I can't tell you how I did it. I don't want you to—How do you even know me?"
Her eyes went even wider and she assessed me slowly. "Everyone knows you. After Feyre Archeron you are the most well-known human turned fae out there."

Great, so I was the talk of town? And I wanted to add that Nesta and Elain are probably in second place but I left it.

I carefully lifted my hand and placed it on her shoulder, carefully shoving her backwards so I could sit up. Dirt and pine needles stuck to my back and my shoulder somehow hurt a little.

"What exactly is it that you want from me?" I then asked when her staring got a little too uncomfortable. The young girl sat back on her heels and suddenly her expression turned gloomy.

"I want to be happy. I want to have enough food. I want to have a safe and warm home."

That hurt. A big crack appeared in my heart and practically split it open. I sucked in a sharp breath, my hand still on her shoulder, giving her a little squeeze.

It was once again guilt that flooded me, so poignant and strong I felt like throwing up for a moment.  My throat constricted when a shudder coursed through me. "I will I could help you," I rasped.

"You can!" she expressed, pressing her lips in a thin line. "You have everything. Madis I know you. You have gained weight, you look healthy. You were close to dying and look at you now. You can help us, you have to help us. You cannot let us die!"

I knew I couldn't. But I did not know how to help them. What could I do? Rhysand had done so much for me already. I could not ask him for this big favour. It would be too much, too much for him in his current state. I knew he would never say no, but it would drain him.

I had to help them. I somehow had to do it. But I had to come up with a plan first, because of right now I did not have the resources. I would have to discuss it with Nyx first.

Once he would be High Lord and I High Lady, things would be easier. And damn me! I should have never thought something like that. Nothing would be easier as Feyre and Rhys would no longer be in control. But making decisions like that would be easier.

I hated it. My head felt like exploding and all I wanted to do was scream again.

Her voice was barely above a whisper, robbed of life, when the young girl asked, "So are you going to help us?"