A Court of Bastards [ACOTAR]

Chapter 47

Nyx seemed hesitant to answer, as though the ash crumbling from her palm to the ground had most of his attention. She snapped a finger, lighting a flame on the tip of her nail as his gaze shot back to her. 

"I don't know," he admitted, glancing nervously between the dancing flame and Fiona. "He might have been, but...I never saw him. When we met, it was always with Aidan."

An internal sigh of relief, and something a little lighter, trickled through Fiona from head to toe. She tried not to react as she smothered the flame between her fingers. "Good. Now for number two - did you, or did you not use your sycophae powers to manipulate your wife into supporting your scheme?"

Shock sparked bright and brief in Nyx's eyes. After a moment her words sank in, and the Prince began shouting at her, yelling gross obscenities. She was a half-cast, he crowed, and how dare she accuse him of such a thing, how dare a bastard have the gall to speak to the crown Prince of Velaris at all. But Fiona had seen all she needed to, and as she turned away, she spit on the ground at his feet, quickly shutting him up. 

"You disgust me, Nyx Archeron," she said, trying to channel all the hate and revulsion she could possibly muster in the words. "And when justice finally comes for you, I hope she takes her time."

*

Fiona went straight from the tent to the infirmary, where Riordan had been moved. Madja had assured her upon his arrival that the wounds were not deep, and that her cousin would recover soon. But they had spent so long apart - even if he was up and walking in hours, Fiona longed for the familiarity of his company, especially amid the turmoil of the last few days. 

It was something of a relief to find the ward mostly empty. Riordan's bed was near the end. He was accompanied by Bella and Xander, and a flickering candle by his side - though nothing could be brighter than the beaming smile he gave Fiona upon her arrival.

"I've been waiting." Dan rolled his eyes in mock indignation. "These two have been here for hours, and yet my own darling cousin..."

He reached out a hand which Fiona slapped away as she came to sit by Xander on one side of the bed. "Oh calm down," she scoffed. "I already gave you a dramatic welcome in the mud, remember?"

"Ah yes," Riordan sighed. "Where were you, anyway?"

Fiona couldn't help but glance preemptively at Xander. "I went to see Nyx."

Dan raised a russet eyebrow from his bedside. "Because you missed his pretty face so much?"

"Because I wanted to confirm that Eris wasn't at Velaris." Fiona answered, wryly.

"And was he?"

She nodded. Before Xander could get in all the questions she could tell he was waiting to ask, Fiona relayed the prophecy to Bella and Dan. Her cousin, as she had expected, was largely concerned with the lines about the Autumn Court, and set to work deciphering them at once.

"So Keir will win if the 'dead man walking' yields," he hummed to himself, running a bandaged hand over his chin. He glanced up at her. "And you think Eris is the Dead Red King?"

"I know he is," she confirmed. "So it's vital that we sway him to our side before Keir gets to him."

"What makes you think he's not already with Keir?"

Fiona blinked. "I just told you. He wasn't in Velaris."

Riordan twisted his head to one side, a sign Fiona remembered from their years growing up together. That little twist was his way of preparing her for the rebuttal to follow. But Dan was gentler than she'd expected - which somehow made it worse.