Son of Night and Daughter of Stars

Chapter 50: The Test of Time

"Should I wait with you?" Nyx muttered to Estelle. She shook her head, her face pale beneath her golden freckles. 

"I think that would only anger her more," She said. She sounded awful. He could feel her skin turning clammy in his palm, but he didn't let go just yet. "No doubt I'm about to get the much rougher version of the talk she gave you." 

Nyx swallowed, hard. "Tell her it was all my fault. I don't want you to get in trouble because I couldn't keep my mouth shut." 

Estelle smiled a bit, shaking her head. "No. If anyone's to blame, it's me, for not being honest in the first place." She squeezed his hand tight, then finally released him. "It'll be fine. It's just my mother. It's not as if she'd burn me to a crisp just for--" She cut herself off, eyes flicking to Artemis and Delilah, who stood down the hall but were still well within earshot. "Well. You know." 

Nyx couldn't help his slight grin. "Okay. Come find me later and tell me what she said?" 

Estelle nodded, but she was obviously distracted. He followed her gaze and caught Delilah turning away. He still saw the obvious dislike in her face, though. He sighed heavily. Oh, he'd seen all the dirty looks she'd thrown Estelle's way. He hoped he could properly explain things now. 

"She's intense," Estelle muttered to him. "Did you and she ever...?" 

"Oh, Mother above, no," Nyx muttered, turning away to make sure Delilah couldn't hear him. "She's just my friend. I don't know why she's acting like this." 

Estelle rolled her eyes, smiling. "Alright, so she's not competition." She playfully shoved him away and leaned against the wall, huffing out a breath. "Go. I'll come to find you later, I promise." 

Nyx couldn't resist. He leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to her cheekbone, causing that beautiful rosy blush to spread across her cheeks. "I'll see you later." 

She waved him off, and he finally turned to walk toward Artemis and Delilah. The former was staring openly at Estelle, her eyebrows drawn. 

"So. You and her?" She asked, her voice hollow. Nyx knew she was trying to lighten the mood, but he didn't want her to have to do that after what she'd just gone through. And, yes, he also didn't quite want to answer that particular question yet. He slung an arm around his cousin's waist. 

"Come on, I'll take you to where you'll be staying." 

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If it weren't for the different room decor, Nyx thought they could very well be in Velaris. 

Artemis sat on his bed, her ankles crossed over each other. Delilah sat in one of the armchairs that she'd dragged over. A merry fire crackled in the fireplace. All they were missing was the rest of their friends. 

Predictably, Artemis had avoided all his concerned questions, choosing to needle him about Estelle instead. 

"So how did that happen?" She'd asked when she'd first sat down on his bed. She and Delilah had graciously been given guest rooms by the Queen in the same hall as Nyx's room. 

"Her name is Estelle," Nyx said, annoyed at her dubious tone. He shut the door to his room. "And... I don't know how to answer that." 

"Who is she?" Artemis asked, propping her chin in her hand. "She looks like the Queen. Daughter, right?" 

Nyx nodded, going to sit beside his cousin. "Her eldest." He cracked a smile. "The only sensible one in her family, if you ask me." 

"And you two..." Artemis raised an eyebrow. Nyx felt his cheeks heat.