When The Last Petal Falls

26. Ties that Bind

Bellona had been restless for three days. The turmoil in her heart was matched by the unease in the Court of Dreams. Conflict was coming, there was no point in ignoring it now.

She pushed open the door to Nyx's room and found him seated by the window, his dark wings wrapped tightly around him, as if seeking solace in their comforting embrace. His usually fierce and determined visage now a mask of pain and exhaustion. His dark eyes, which usually sparkled with energy and purpose, were dulled and distant. Bandages covered his wounds, and the room was thick with the scent of antiseptics.

"Nyx," she greeted softly, her concern palpable.
He glanced at her, his expression guarded. "Bellona."
She moved closer, perching on the edge of a nearby chair. "How are you feeling?"
"Better," he replied curtly.
The air in the room grew tense, the unsaid words lingering like a storm on the horizon. Bellona swallowed her unease and gathered her courage.

"Nyx, I need to know what happened after I passed out. What did Arioch do?"

His gaze turned distant, and he hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, his voice laden with a mixture of pain and hesitation. "It's not important. We survived, and that's what matters."

"It is important," she pressed, her frustration simmering beneath her calm exterior. Bellona's eyes searched his face, sensing the hesitation and pain in his voice. "What happened after I blacked out? Why won't you tell me?"

Nyx looked down, struggling to find the right words. "Arioch... he got to me. He taunted me, toyed with my emotions. He knew how to hit where it hurt the most. I was... distracted, and that's when he struck."

Her patience waned, her emotions boiling over. "And what else? What is it that you're not telling me? Why are you shutting me out?"

He turned away, his jaw clenched, struggling with his own turmoil. "I can't... I can't say it, not yet."

The frustration and helplessness gnawed at her. "Nyx, we can't let this fester. What happened back there was just the start , we need to trust each other. Back there you were my strength, but now... you're pushing me away."

Silence hung heavy in the air, suffocating the room. Nyx's eyes brimmed with emotions he refused to let spill over. Bellona's heart ached at the distance that had grown between them.

"I need some time," Nyx finally spoke, his voice strained. "To process everything."

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. She stood, her voice barely above a whisper. "Take all the time you need."
Without another word, she turned and left the room, the weight of unspoken words and unresolved anguish lingering in the air. The newfound connection that had been a source of strength now felt fragile, teetering on the edge of breaking.

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Bellona needed an outlet for her frustration, a way to let the intensity of the situation with Nyx dissipate, if only for a moment. The training rings provided a sanctuary, a place where she could unleash her pent-up emotions and find solace in the rhythm of her own fists against the heavy bag. The sharp thuds echoed in the spacious room, a percussive release of her inner turmoil.

She jabbed and crossed, pouring all her energy into each punch, imagining Arioch's face on the bag. Her knuckles stung, but she welcomed the pain. As she unleashed another flurry of punches, a familiar presence made itself known beside her.

"Need a sparring partner, Bellona?" Connall's voice broke through her focus.
She turned, startled but not displeased by his appearance. A straying shadow fleeting past her shoulder, resting for a second and then scurrying back to its owner.