Son of Night and Daughter of Stars

Chapter 49: The Family and Foes

For the life of her, Estelle could not see why Nyx had thought she was Delilah when he first saw her. The female's long hair was white-blonde, so unlike Estelle's burnished gold. Her pale limbs were thinner, her features more imposing and her eyes more upturned. Aside from their apparent shared love of green clothing, they looked nothing alike. 

Not to mention that Estelle didn't think she'd ever seen anyone look at her with as much hate as Delilah did. 

After the initial awkwardness had been over and done with, Nyx introducing her to his cousin and his friend, they all sat down. Nyx seemed to be the only one who didn't notice the fire simmering from Delilah. Artemis certainly did. She'd treated Estelle kindly, as far as Estelle could tell. She'd politely not mentioned what both Nyx and Estelle's scents gave away, instead choosing simply to babble profusely about how they'd gotten there. 

"It was crazy, Nyx!" Artemis said, sliding into the chair across from his. "Delilah had the idea, of course, genius that she is. We used my blood!" She proudly displayed her arm, which was wrapped in white cloth. Nyx's eyebrow shot up. 

"So I take it that means you figured out the whole "Blood of the Sworn" thing?" Nyx asked. Artemis looked confused, blinking slowly. 

"The what?" She asked. Nyx laughed slightly. 

"I guess there's a lot we need to go over," He said, tapping his fingers against the table. Delilah watched the movement like a hawk. She hadn't said anything since Nyx and Estelle had appeared. She didn't seem inclined to, either. Estelle tried not to blame her. But she couldn't concentrate on anything but Delilah's hateful glare as Artemis and Nyx exchanged stories. It was all very interesting, really, hearing about Artemis and Delilah's crazy idea that had turned out to be true, but Estelle found herself unable to pay attention. Both from Delilah, and from the fact that Nyx was still holding her hand under the table. 

Occasionally, he'd brush his thumb across the back of her hand, sending jitters up her arm.  She felt like a giddy little schoolgirl with her first love, a lovely secret that only he and she knew. Of course, that wasn't true. Anyone who walked in the room with a Fae scent knew immediately. Which was why she was thanking every god imaginable that her parents weren't currently in the room. Delilah, however, seemed prone to make their anger seem like a snowflake before her avalanche. 

Nyx helped her forget about the resentful female. Sitting beside her, it felt like he'd always been there. Which was incredibly selfish of her, considering what these two females were here for. 

They'd proven Nyx's theory. Feyre's blood relatives could open Wyrdgates just as easily as she could. Nyx could go home now... as soon as they solved the Amandla problem. 

Estelle started when she heard the Valkyrie's name come up. "Oh, fuck!" 

Artemis and Nyx both turned to her, Artemis's mouth twisting in what Estelle could only describe as incredulous glee. "Excuse me?" 

Estelle felt herself flush. Really? That's the first thing you said? Great first impression. "Um, sorry. No, I just--" She coughed, and could have sworn she saw Delilah smirk. Inwardly, she scowled at the female. Witch. "Sorry. Nyx, I forgot to tell you what Marzanna told me." She quickly recounted the story Marzanna had regaled, and even Nyx looked mildly troubled by it. Especially when she added the last detail she'd learned. 

"Marzanna claims she saw High Lady Feyre and my mother when they sealed the Lock. She saw them fall through her world, a world made completely of ice and snow." Estelle bit her lip, taking comfort from Nyx's steady hand. "That's how she knew about them. How she knew what power existed to steal from Erilea."

Artemis coughed. "Want to fill us in on who the hell Marzanna is?" 

Nyx and Estelle exchanged a glance, and she nodded at him encouragingly. You can do this.