The Dark Heir - Nyx

19. Nyx.

Having any connection to Theia soothed every fear Nyx had. She offered to be friends, and he'd take that chance blindly if he had to. He could've left, he could've told Zen that he had responsibilities in another court, but leaving Theia again was near crippling.

When she agreed, he had wiped away her tears and pulled her into his chest like his mother had done for him. Feeling her in his arms in this way made him breathe easier than he had in centuries. He didn't know if he loved her, but he cared enough that he'd never let her go again.

They'd sat on the edge of his bed, Theia curling against the pillows and Nyx leaning against the foot post. She asked him to tell her what he'd gotten to experience in the other courts. He hadn't smiled so genuinely in so long, the action made his cheeks hurt.

"I think my favorite visit was the Summer Court. The warm beaches are incredible, you would love them," Nyx spoke with a small chuckle. Theia's lips tilted up as she pulled a pillow onto her lap and held it against herself. She hadn't smiled nearly as much as he had, and it had been so long since he had seen her look anything more than broken, Nyx was desperate to see her smile again. He leaned forward, shifting his weight on the bed.

"You know, the Day Court is pretty neat, too. Have you ever seen a pegasus? They're these massive horses with wings. Helion claims to have the last in existence, but I met them during my visit and they're extraordinary. He wouldn't let me ride them, but I still snuck them treats so that they'd like me better."

Her lips lifted again, eyes glinting with amusement. It felt like weight was lifted from his chest. Nyx cleared his throat and brushed his hair back from his eyes.

"What else? Did you swim in the sea?" Theia asked softly. He adored the childlike wonder his stories gave her. She'd looked so much older from centuries of despair; seeing a young glow to her was refreshing. The constant frown was up tilted, the shadows around her eyes were hidden by the small wrinkles that formed when she smiled.

"I did. I'd like to take you there, if you'd let me. The water is always incredibly warm, even at night. The Summer Court is by far my favorite landscape. The buildings are made of a sandstone and marble, it looks as though the towns and palace erupted from the sands itself. It's beautiful," Nyx cooed, his face warming at the memory of the court. His visit wasn't as innocent as he made it sound, though he didn't want Theia to know his extent.

The Summer Court was one of the first he had visited. He was heartbroken and in a land no one knew him. Nyx had taken advantage of that and slept his way through villages and cities, even sneaking away with Tarquin's sister several times. He'd been drunk for most of it, but he knew what he'd done. He acted the same in each court.

Nyx's smile faltered, his eyes on Theia. He couldn't fault her for what she had done in his absence. She was better than he was- Theia stuck to the males of the village. It still made his chest ache to think of, but he didn't deserve to feel jealous. He'd hurt her and left her alone for centuries, while he was running through Prythian fucking anything that looked at him. He had plenty of nights with males, sometimes more than one. He'd been under the influence of more substances, Nyx couldn't even remember if he'd enjoyed it.

"I've always been curious about the Dawn Court. It feels so small compared to what we know. Was it a decent visit?" Theia asked. Nyx grinned as he nodded.

"It was stunning. Always warm, with the slightest of breezes. The sky is always the brightest blue with these golden and rose tinted clouds. They don't have cities, not like Velaris, but tons of these small towns and villages full of some of the hardest working people. There's no mountains or cliffs, but it has these green fields and hills." Nyx smiled to himself, remembering the beauty of such an underrated court.