He would not deny that he was anxious as he returned to Windhaven. Hewn City always made his skin crawl. But coming back there was not the best feeling either. The sun had started to set, the last piles of snow had melted away. The grass had started to grow again, and spring filled the air. He could hear the snivels from some warriors who had problems with hayfever. Nyx had been blessed to live without that problem. He remembered the days when he was younger and Cassian's sneezes would wake up half the camp in the spring mornings.
But right now he was on edge, keeping an eye out for anything or anyone out of place. He had a bad feeling growing in him, one that made him eye every corner, every tree. But why? Or for what? He didn't know. Maybe it was the nerves over all the things happening, or rather, the things that didn't happen. No new information, no new developments. Nothing. The safety and security he had grown to know in the camp was gone. He came up to the house and sighed in relief at the fire that was lit, and Evalyn who sat on the sofa with a blanket over her legs and a book in hand.
"I am back." He said and walked in, making sure the wards were in place.
"Did everything go as planned?" She asked back, not even looking up from her book.
"Sort of... Luna tells you hi." Nyx sat down in an armchair and relaxed.
"Sort of?" She placed her book down.
"Well, no one died. But some tried to attack Luna's mind, and that ended as well as you can expect. Then Keir did call her a whore, and a dirty dog." Evalyn's eyes grew larger.
"What!" She called out. "If anyone is a whore it is me, heck Luna has never even been kissed." Nyx's body stiffened at her words.
"Don't call yourself that." He said, noticing that his voice had dropped lower.
"Well if Keir calls her that, then he should definitely call me one too." She got up.
"Well, if he does, he will not survive." Nyx shocked himself with the words.
"He survived Luna."
"Only because dad put him in pain, and Tirian acted out before Luna got the chance." Nyx shook his head. "How was your day? Any broken bones? Nasty infections?"
"Sadly only a pulled muscle and some that came in for hayfever." She said back. "I will probably go crazy soon and hope for a civil war or anything close to that. Just to have something else to do."
"Sounds boring... But I don't really think a war or conflict will be appreciated by anyone." Nyx tried to smile. But worry grew in him once more. She was standing against the wall, one hand resting on the small of her back. The charm hung around her neck. "Evalyn, how are you feeling right now?"
"I am fine. Better than what I have been for many weeks now." She said but the way she was bracing herself against the wall told a different story.
"I see..." He moved over to her. "Have you eaten anything today?"
"Yes. I will go to sleep, see you tomorrow."
Nyx stayed up for the rest of the night, too restless to sleep. He stayed at the windows, looking out into the night. The only movement was the night patrol flying over the sky, blocking out the stars and moon as they passed by. He stayed in that place the entire night. Waiting, watching... The sun started to climb the horizon, He could see how the night patrol landed, and the day shift started. He had asked to not be on patrol, opting instead to work in the rings with the novices.
Evalyn came down. Joining him at the table.
"Did you sleep at all?" She asked.
"No... But I am fine."
"If you say so..." Both of them left the house and walked over for the day's tasks. Nyx looked after her as she disappeared to the healers house, and Nyx walked over to the rings. Once more, having that anxious feeling grow inside him. He tried to shake it off, focusing on the training, but his eyes wandered over to the building time and time again.
"What the fuck is wrong with me..." He muttered at lunch. He found himself walking over to the healers building, only to freeze up at the icing scream that came from inside. Evalyn? He asked out, finding her mind inside the building.
I am a bit busy, but yes? She said back.
What is happening? He asked.
Exactly what I needed. She said back. Nyx soul turned to ice.
Is it time?
Hell no! A nasty broken bone! He could hear her smile and Nyx relaxed. One of the night patrollers got attacked last night. His femur is broken, it is sticking out of his skin! And don't get me started on the sticks he has in his wings! This is amazing! Nyx started to laugh.
If you say so. He withdrew his mind from her. Once more asking himself why he was so on edge, always looking for dangers.
"Nyx! You are needed in the barracks!" Devlon called out, the old Camp Lord pointed towards the barracks and Nyx walked over, his wings high.
"What is happening here?" He asked as he entered the building, seeing some of the youngest novices wrestling. They stopped.
"Nothing." One of them said.
"I don't believe that. Tell me what is going on." He raised his voice at them.
"He started it! Talking badly about my mother!" One of them called out, pointing to another.
"I was just saying what we all know! That your mother warmed someone else's bed! Bastard!" The boys started to argue again. But this time Nyx moved. He rarely let his powers show when he was here, but now he did. Parting the two boys to opposite sides of the room.
"Stop it!" The roar made the other boys stop fighting. "We do not accept that talk here. You two! Five weeks of night service!" He let his magic drop, and the boys dropped with it. And the one of them who had called the other a bastard let out a chilling scream.
"My leg!" Nyx just sighed and lifted him up, helping him over to the healers building, and Evalyn.
She was standing over a warrior who looked like he had been in a fight with a whole naga pack.
"Look over his leg." Nyx sat the boy down on one of the hard wooden benches. "How is the warrior?"
"I can't talk about him in front of others." Evalyn said back and hunched down in front of the boy. "Only a twisted ankle, and some bruises. It will heal before the morning." She got up with some difficulties, and Nyx held back the instinct to help her.
"Go back, your duties start tonight." Nyx told him and got him out of the door.
I will not lie, this is unusual behaviour from you. He heard Evalyn say, her shields down.
Just me being pissed off... Illyrians are just so stubborn and refuse to change their ways. He said and turned. I need to get back, but I will see you tonight.
Can you look at the males memories? She asked. Some injuries don't match up...
I can take a look. He followed her to the warrior and looked over him. He started his work.
The night was dark, and then... Everything got quiet, still. The warrior stopped his flight and looked around, finding nothing. So he moved down towards the ground, hoping to find something that explained the weird silence. Instead he found nothing. And then he was attacked. Something jumped onto his back, bringing him down fast and hard. His leg cracked, His wings got caught in the trees. Pain and screams. But the screams left no sound, the pain only partial...
Nyx took a step back, staring at Evalyn.
"Gwyn... It is the same thing that happened to us..."
"Go out there! Search for her!" Evalyn said back and before she was done Nyx was running out the door.
Dad! Call Azriel and the others back! He screamed out. Taking off towards the place the warrior got attacked. I have another lead on Gwyn! Close to Windhaven! He landed hard and looked around. Broken branches, some blood from the warrior. Nyx looked around, trying to find her scent
"Where?" Azriel came from the shadows, Nyx bowed his head, showing the Shadowsinger some respect. Azriel looked like shit.
"Last night... Here. I just arrived..." Nyx told him. Azriel's shadows started to spread out.
"I will find you..." He heard him say. Nyx stayed out searching with Azriel until the sun started to set. And then he stayed the night. In the end, they had found nothing new. No leads, no traces.
"She must be here..." Nyx said to himself.
"She must..." He heard Azriel say back. "She must..." But the air left him and Azriel fell to the ground. Exhausted beyond reason.
Azriel is down... Nyx called out, fully aware that he was not far behind the Shadowsinger.
I am coming... His father appeared and helped Azriel up. "Winnow back to Windhaven, I will take him home." Nyx nodded and got back. Collapsing down on the sofa head first. Sleep found him and Nyx relaxed, letting the dreamless sleep take him away.
Once he awoke, it was light outside, a fire had been lit in the house, and a bowl of food stood on the table. Nyx moved to get up, only to fall back down again as a hand landed between his shoulder blades.
"I was hoping that you would sleep for a little longer." Evalyn said and came into his view. "So stay down and rest. You have been awake for like three days and two nights."
"How long did I sleep?" He asked, staying down.
"Less than half a day. Azriel is still out cold." She sat down.
"Great..." Nyx moved to get up again, but stopped as Evalyns eyes dug into him.
"Noel and Gina are back and your father wants to talk to you once you are done resting."
"I am done resting."
"No." Evalyns voice held a command to it that Nyx had never heard. "So stay down, pretend to sleep and just let me talk."
"Why?" Nyx asked.
"I had the opportunity to help another pregnant female yesterday. She had a beautiful baby boy, her husband is... Less than good, but that is a problem for another day right now. But it did give me the knowledge I needed to confirm everything. My task here is done. But I don't want to go back... I like it here, I feel safe. Which is crazy because I got nervous when I worked with male patients, but here... I can walk around with them, talk to them. And I don't feel scared or unsafe. And I know that my time is running out, that I soon need to make some decisions that will change my life forever. But if I can... I want to stay here..." Nyx sat up from the sofa, ignoring her death glare.
"Then come back." He wasn't sure where his words came from. "Once you are done with your training, come here. Live here. Me, Noel and Gina can help you reach those who needs you." He wanted her here. Wanted her close.
"Nyx..."
"Stay here, for as long as you can. And then, after whatever break you will need, come back." He got up and kneeled in front of her. Taking her hand in his. "Open your doors to teach females about their bodies. Help us all move the Illyrians forward." Evalyns eyes glisten with tears of joy. Her smile one that filed her entire body. And Nyx realised that this was the first time he ever saw her give him a real smile. A smile of joy and happiness.
"Yes, Yes I will."
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/Mymymoon