Something was wrong, Nyx could feel it the moment he entered the house after a day out. When he opened the door, he was hit by the smell of sweat and fear that filled the house. The shields over the house were still up. Nyx called out.
"Evalyn?" Silence. "Evalyn?" He walked up the stairs to her room, opening her door, the smell was stronger there and she was on her knees, her arms resting on the bed.
"Evalyn!" He ran to her, lifting up her face towards him. Sweat covered her skin, her hair was in tangles.
"Nyx..." Her face twisted in pain and she let out a gasp. Her hands fisting the sheats on the bed. This was not the same type of pain he had found her three weeks ago... He gasped as he realised what was happening.
"What can I do? Can I take you somewhere?" He asked, his hand found her arm, stroking it up and down.
"You... You can't..." Evalyn whispered, looking up towards the ceiling. "It started this morning..."
"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked. He had left that morning and just assumed that she was heading out to the healer.
"I am scared..." Tears started to fall down her cheeks. "Get my mom... Kira... Luna..."
"I can take you to them..."
"No... You can't move me now..." She met his eyes. "I need them here..." She gasped again and he saw her face twist in pain.
"I will be back soon..." He winnowed, finding Regina in her clinic.
"Nyx? Wha..."
"She needs you." He only said and took her hand. Leaving Regina in Evelyn's room before winnowing to Kira's place, and did the same with her. Luna was a bit more complicated. He couldn't just winnow to Hewn City like that. But he could talk to her.
Luna? He called out. In Evelyn's room another scream was heard, and then sobs. Luna!
Yes? Luna's voice was irritated.
You need to come to the camp. Now. He looked at the door. Something was dragging him towards it.
Now? I am busy. Her voice held an annoyance to it, like he was disturbing her.
It is Evalyn. Silence. And then Luna appeared. Apparently whatever she was doing was not as important as this.
"You know?"
"She told me three weeks ago..." He whispered.
"Stupid stubborn..." She entered the room, and the scent of fear hit Nyx so hard his knees bent under him, forcing him to take support from the wall. He wanted to help... But what could he do? Stand there and watch? He could hear Evalyns screams, her cries. Kira came out from the room, mumbling something about warm water and a blanket.
"What do you need?" Nyx asked. "Can I do anything?" Kira bit her lip before answering.
"Hold the wards up, and make sure that no one, and I mean no one, enters this house." She walked down to the kitchen and began to warm up some water. "Luna has removed most of the pain, Regina says that everything is going along just as it should. But she... Nyx, Evalyn is so scared." Kira wiped a tear away.
"I know... It started this morning, and she kept it hidden from me..." He said and focused on making the wards stronger.
"Stupid stubborn..." Kira repeated the words Luna had said before. "We still don't know what she wants to do with it after..."
"I hope everything is fine... I can help. We all will."
"She knows that. She is more scared if she ever meets her mate... If she keeps it... Or give it up..." An icing scream was heard and the both of them ran upstairs. Evalyn was standing outside of the room, pure panic in her eyes and a simple linen underdress over her. Nyx took in the sight before him. No blood, but sweat covered her body making the linen dress stick to her. Her belly was huge, and he could almost see the movements from within. Her dark hair flowed down around her face and shoulders. Hands trembling.
"Nyx..." She said, her voice filled with fear. "He will find me... He will come for me..."
"No..." He said and took her hand. "He will never find you..." He tried to calm her down, hoping to calm her down. Her heart was speeding and her breath strained.
"But if..." Her face twisted again and a silent scream left her lips. She started to fall down when her knees gave up. Buckling to the pain.
"Evalyn... You are safe here... We all will help... I will help." He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up, taking her back to the room. "Luna take over the wards..." He asked his sister before moving in to dull Evalyns pain, making her calm. His hand in hers the entire time.
Regina asked Kira and Luna to get things for her, updating them all of the progress. Nyx didn't say anything, just did as he was told and kept Evalyn calm.
"It is time. Nyx, let her feel some pain so she knows when to push... Kira, be ready with the blanket..." Regina told them. "Evalyn, love, it will soon be over..." Nyx eased his grip on Evalyns mind, one hand still holding hers, and the other stroking her hair.
"It is soon going to be over..." He whispered as her grip on his hand hardened. "One more..." She was still crying, still in fear. "One more... You are doing great..." He had no idea if the words were bullshit or true, but right now, Nyx didn't care.
"Head is born... One more..." Regina said.
"I can't..." Evalyn looked over to Nyx. "I can't..." There was something in her eyes that made Nyx heart ache. A wish or a plea for help. He wished to take this pain from her, to take her fear and make sure she was safe.
"Just one more..." Nyx tried to give her some of his energy, tried to give her that last bit of strength to push through.
The room was quiet, and then a baby's cry was heard, small, angry. Kira was there and took the baby in the blanket. But Nyx only focused on Evalyn, who was just staring at him. Now that sweet smell faded, and he could fully feel her scent. Eucalyptus and lime, fresh and clear. And that pull he had felt for her got a name.
Mate.
He almost took a step back, not sure what this meant. If she realised it, or if she was in too much shock after the birth to know what happened, Nyx had no idea. The baby started to scream some more, calling for his attention. Kira moved to the door, Regina was still working, mumbling things that Nyx had no understanding of.
"Wait..." Evalyn said, her voice tired, and a bit hoarse. "What is it?"
"A girl..." Kira said. Luna was quiet, standing to the side of the room. Her eyes on Nyx.
"Can... Can I see her?" Evalyn asked. Nyx was still holding her hand. His mate's hand. That feeling he had felt for her from the start, from the day of the party... It all made sense now. And then came the anger.
The anger that his mate had a child, a child she never wanted, a child from one who hurt her... Once the anger was over, fear creeped over him. He knew that it was rare for females to have more than one child in their life. Nyx blinked. Jealousy? Was that what he was feeling in his moment? Over what? Kira moved closer, showing the girl's face to Evalyn. Nyx could see her too.
Love. Even if she was only a couple of minutes old, he could see how she resembled her mother. The nose was the same, and her chin... The girl had her eyes closed, not allowing them to see her eyes. Fear came back. Would they be brown like Evalyns? Or something else? The girl opened her eyes, revealing dark brown eyes just like her mother. The room was still, waiting.
"Hope..." Evalyn said and moved to take the child from Kira. "Her name is Hope." Nyx looked at his mate, did she know? Did she realise? But Evalyn only had eyes for her daughter.
She is your mate... Luna's words echoed in his head. I can see the bond...
Yes... She is... Nyx took a step back. I should have known...
Regina had moved to her daughter's side and with Nyx taking a step back, Luna walked up to her friend, sitting down at her side too.
"She is so cute." He heard his sister say. "She will be loved, and welcomed."
"You will just have to tell them all that I had her." Evalyn said back. Nyx's heart started to ache at the thought and he looked away.
"Well, right now I don't really think any of them are ready to hear that. Dad will probably just say 'that is good' and go back to dealing with everything else. Azriel might not even hear what I say. And Cassian... Same there." The room got filled with laughter.
"I hope not. Mor will be happy." Evalyn said.
"She will, Nesta too. And Gwyn." Luna continued.
"O Mother! I can tell my mom!" Kira almost shouted. "Fuck, she is in the Summer Court!"
"Language! And keep your voice down, she is starting to fall asleep." Regina scolled Kira.
"Sorry..."
"Do you need anything?" Nyx finally got the courage to say anything and looked back at her, his mate.
"I am fine... Just tired..."
"Well, you can rest. This little one needs a bath.." Regina picked up Hope and Nyx followed her as she left the room.
"I need to get back to Hewn." Luna said. "I will come back later. I just need to finish up some things."
"What were you doing before I called you here?" Nyx asked, remembering his sister's annoyed tone.
"Stuff." She was quick to answer and left the room.
"I will stay for a day or two. To help." Kira said and gave her friend a hug. "I am so glad for you..." Nyx looked away again.
"Thank you... Nyx? Can I talk to you? Kira, you can go and help my mom. Luna, take care." Evalyn moved to a better position. And not long after, the two of them were left alone.
"Evalyn, I..."
"I know, but... I can't... Not now. We will talk later. Much later." Evalyn said in a low tone. "Thank you for being here for me."
"I understand, and thank you, for trusting me." Evalyn closed her eyes, and not long after she was asleep.
He walked down, leaving her to rest, finding Kira and Regina moving around in the kitchen. Nyx started to help them with making food. Outside the sun had set and midnight was nearing. Hope had fallen asleep, the baby laid wrapped in a blanket. Nyx looked over at her, taking in the sleeping face.
"Is Evalyn sleeping?" Regina asked. Placing down a plate with food.
"Yes..." Nyx said and sat down, still looking at Hope.
"Someone has you wrapped around her finger all right." Kira said and started to eat.
"I will not deny that." Nyx said back with a shuckle.
"Good..." Kira continued to eat. "Oh you! Can I make some clothes with the blankets here? She needs something more than just a baby blanket around her."
"Sure..." Nyx had no idea how she was meant to do that.
"Good." Kira grabbed the blanket and started to fold it in different ways.
"She makes things." Regina told him, like it explained anything. Nyx nodded and decided to drop it. "I think it is time for the rest of us to sleep as well."
"That sounds good..." While the others looked tired, Nyx was far from that. He walked around in the house, tense and on edge, waiting for anything to happen.
Just the mate bond making itself known. He told himself. But it is annoying. He tried to rest, only to give up after midnight. In the end he walked outside and started to train to clear out his head. He focused on his techniques, tweaking his positions and redoing the same movements time and time again. Something Cassian had taught him.
"If your head gets too full, clean it out with movements. Focus on repetition, perfection, that is what makes us different from the rest. That is what makes us Carynthian." He had once said.
"Don't our determination and brotherhood do that?" Nyx had asked back.
"That too, but this is just as important."
Nyx started to work with his left hand, doing the exact same movements. The sun started to rise, but dark clouds gathered at the horizon.
It is too early for a storm... he continued with his workout, only pausing to take a water break. The sun had now climbed above the horizon, and the dark clouds grew, but Nyx could swear that the shadows around the camp were darker too.
"What in the...?" He asked and walked over to the trees, only to freeze up as a pair of teal eyes in a freckled face, framed by copper hair, came up from the shadows.
"It is happening now, they are taking over." Gwyn gasped and grabbed him by his shirt. "One is with Luna, where is she?"
"Azriel!" Nyx screamed for the male. "She is in Hewn... With Tirian..." Gwyns face paled.
"Then it is too late..." She collapsed into his arms, just as her mate came up behind him.
Around them the darkness grew, and the clouds came closer, and closer.
____
They are Mates !!! How many guessed it? One? All? No?
And Gwyn is home again, and everything goes to hell ... Sounds good ... Or not.
What do you think will happen now? (Only a few chapters left!!!)
Vote, Comment, Share!!!
/Mymymoon