We arrived back at the castle as the sun was high in the sky. The vampires would be sleeping.
Good.
Nyx landed softly right outside the patio to my parents room, where I had first met him.
I went in for a kiss and he coughed while stepping back, away from me.
"What? Nyx. Come on." I tried to step closer but didn't when I saw his green eyes looking so forlorn. "Nyx?"
"Princess Amelia, I formally am ending out courtship. The King will be made aware of my intentions, or now lack there of, as soon as possible." He straightened and moved to the door.
"Wait! Nyx?!" I need him.
"I'll always be here for you. Whenever you need me. Whisper my name and I will appear." He winked and a sad smile was gone as quickly as it came. Just like him. I found myself alone crying on the patio.
***
My mother found me a few hours later and scurried me inside, asking all kinds of personal questions.
"What was his home like? Nyx rarely leaves the castle. What do you think of him? What did he do to you? Why does it look like you've been crying? Do you want to see the other suitors? Violet has the list, let me call for her."
All of these questions made me feel like I was a cat being backed into a corner. Scared and ready to pop off.
"No. I mean yes, call for Violet." She continued her phone conversation but had a concerned look on her face. The one she had whenever I'd get the flu or some virus. She would worry herself sick over me.
It's all an act. A lie. My mother loves herself and the sperm donor that is my father.
"Are you alright darling? Maeve and Violet are on their way."
I kept creeping closer to the door that I knew went to the hallway.
"What's. Wrong." She was angry.
"You. You are the problem. YOU knew and you left me with that scumbag and kept me in the dark about our family."
"Now, darling, please just settle down."
"No! You will stay away from me and from Fiona, Rian, and Oisin. If you so much as breathe in their direction, there will be hell to pay." I opened the door and slammed it shut, breaking it off the hinges.
Maeve and Violet met me outside the room. When they saw the broken door, they didn't ask any questions. They bowed, which I hated, and walked by my side in silence back to my room. Violet ran a bath. Nyx had dropped off some dried herbs, flowers, and little dropper bottles of fresh morning dew. Apparently they help with healing old wounds so we can move on, but they expire by the next morning so he said he'll bring more.
He helped Violet put all the ingredients for my bath and tea.
I sat on the bed with Maeve in a robe. She combed my hair and hummed a lullaby that sounded familiar. She was a kind hearted young faerie.
My eyes never left Nyx and Violet. I could see their reflection in the mirror as they went along drawing my bath. Violet's eyes seemed to be fixated on him while he spoke of different herb properties and how to prepare each and every trinket he brought. He brought a lot.
I felt grateful but seeing him light up when she would speak told her everything she needed to know. They had chemistry. Not just alchemy or potions or whatever you want to call it. There was something between the two of them.
"I'll be back tomorrow morning with the drops and maybe some other plants." He hesitated by the door. "Are you sure you can prepare her tea?"
Violet rolled her eyes and shoved him towards the door. "Yes, yes. I'm not daft ya know."
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