Nicon

XXXIX

XXXIX

VICTORIA LEFT FOR the morning with the babies, deciding some fresh air would be good for them while Quentin was off preparing for war. Elysie spent her time drinking tea, drawing, and reading some of the books Victoria kept on their living room shelves.

It was a quarter to eleven in the morning when the door opened and Elysie was greeted with Victoria's smiling face. She had the twins in a stroller, and they were both sleeping peacefully. Their bald heads were wrinkly and small and the baby on the right had a small black dot on the back of her hand, to tell them apart.

"How was the fresh air?" Elysie asked. She didn't mean to sound bitter, but the words spilled off her tongue before she could catch herself.

"Lovely." Victoria's voice was small and she gently pushed the stroller into the room in the back right, disappearing for a few minutes before closing the door behind her and joining Elysie on the couch.

Elysie was thankful Victoria never commented on why she was staying with them for the time being, or why Elysie was so timid lately.

"Have you heard from Syd recently?" Elysie asked.

Victoria brushed a stray hair from her eye and tucked it behind her ear. "Not in a few days. I'm worried he thinks he won't have a place with us now that we have--" she motioned to the back room.

Elysie stayed quiet. She didn't think Syd seemed like the type to disappear just because he was worried about something, but he was an anxious and quiet man.

Two sharp knocks interrupted Victoria's next thought, and she rose gracefully from the couch and pulled the door open.

"Avar!" she greeted with a smile. Her arms went out around the man and she pulled him inside. "How are you? Shouldn't you be preparing for war with Quentin?"

"Ah, Victoria! Heard the pups were here. About time," he glanced over Victoria's shoulder and met Elysie's eyes.

Elysie rose off her spot on the couch, setting her mug of tea down on the coffee table. As he walked into the room, an overwhelming rush of pine filled the space.

The smell sent an uneasy shiver down Elysie's spine as she recalled the reason she was staying with Quentin and Victoria in the first place. Nicon, the man outside my door was Avar.

Silence.

"You know, Elysie, I've heard so much about you," Avar said casually as he walked further into the apartment and Victoria shut the door behind him.

Victoria's expression held no alarm as she offered him a cup of tea. "That would be great," he smiled.

She walked off into the kitchen and Avar walked closer to Elysie. He was a large man, and towered over her in an intimidating manner. Elysie refused to back down and met his gaze.

"Not just you," he mused, quietly. "I've heard plenty about your dear human mother." He paused, "What was her name again? June? No, it was a month though. May."

Elysie's shoulders tensed and her eyes darted away as she bent down to reach her cup. How did he know her mother's name?

Nicon, Elysie practically hissed. He knows my mother's name. Please.

She desperately pleaded with him to hear her calls and help her. She wanted nothing to do with the man right now, yet she knew he was her safest option. He would protect her.

"How is it you are so familiar with my mother?" she asked him instead, hoping it would give her some more time to contact Nicon.

"When I found out our King had a small, fragile human mate, I had to see for myself. Interesting woman, your mother. It was as if you didn't even exist in your own home."