He never came. After two centuries, it still pained Theia. She thought of him every time she moronically decided to walk past the empty house on the hill. She had expected him to come for her months after she left Velaris, but he never came. Equally as painful, Feyre and the others never stopped by the house or tavern.
It felt like another life; one of an immature girl who loved the first person to show her something more than negligence. Theia had decided a century ago that she wasn't meant to love Nyx, she only did because someone was taking care of her and he forced himself into her life. He had carefully crafted her emotions so that she would depend on him enough to call it love. She hated him for that. She hated him for never coming back.
Theia let out a breath, watching the cloud from her mouth rise into the air. It was a bitterly cold spring night. One thing about her months in Velaris: Theia wished she could have experienced a hot day before returning to the mountain village. She never thought she would hate the cold, but it formed along with every other part of her bitter heart.
Theia found herself scoffing as she turned to continue down the street. She thought perhaps after a few decades, Nyx would've come in search for her. It was her choice to leave, yet it destroyed her. It took Theia years before she could fathom leaving her house. It was a worse depression than when Maia died. The only reason she kept herself alive was in hopes he would return, otherwise she found no reason.
After she was able to leave her home and beg for her job back, she craved that attention Nyx had gifted her. She would go home with random males, never knowing who they were. It was a dangerous choice, but it lasted years. She was known in the tavern as the easy selection, going home with anyone that gave her a bright smile and smooth words.
It stayed that way. Theia worked in the tavern, only as a way to keep herself sane. Rhysand had given her enough coin to last five centuries, so she didn't need the job other than something to do. He had kept his promise with the village, as well. The crime rate against females dropped significantly. Seasoned warriors patrolled the streets at night and kept an eye on the camp lords. More and more females joined the ranks. Even Elena finally joined them. Theia had once hated the way the camps were run, but with the new generation rising to the ranks, it was far better.
She still didn't trust easily, though her hard exterior slowly came down throughout the years. After Nyx, Theia was always angry or sad. She hadn't smiled for years. After the turn of the second century, it was easier to breathe. She had accepted that their love was nothing but a ruse and she would never see him again.
Theia turned down the road to her house. The dilapidated ones alongside hers had been renovated and were now full. It warmed her heart to see. Her lips lifted as she hurried down to the final house on the block, firelight in the windows and smoke rising from the chimney.
She pushed open the door, immediately met by the mouthwatering smell of dinner. Theia audibly groaned as she unbuttoned her coat and tugged it from her body. She hadn't eaten all evening, and now that night took over, she was famished.
"Dinner is ready!" A gruff voice called from the kitchen. Theia bit down on her lip, immediately warmed by his tone. Silas was a camp lord; a large male built by centuries of training. He had been one of her nightly conquests over a year before, and they had chosen to sleep together often. The one night he had come to her house, she had a breakdown begging for him not to leave. Silas stayed, and he had been staying for half a year now.
She sauntered into the kitchen, grinning as her gaze was met by the nearly bare male. He only had his tight undershorts on, everything on display. Her attraction to him was simply lust. She hadn't been able to accept anything more than that. He agreed that they weren't going to fall in love, but Theia believed that was long past.
He looked at her with something in his eye that seemed far softer than hunger. It pulled at her heart. She still wasn't able to offer him more than her body and some company. He didn't seem to mind though. Silas leaned down, taking her lips with his. Theia moaned against his mouth, clinging to the cropped hair at his neck.
"I made steaks and vegetables, they're on the counter," Silas murmured against her lips. Theia grinned again, nipping at his bottom lip. He groaned and tugged at her hair.
"I think you've given me a feast tonight," Theia cooed, her hand slipping down his neck and over his muscled chest. Silas chuckled and pulled away.
"I heard your stomach growling as soon as you opened the door. Eat something and then maybe I'll give you some dessert," he laughed. Theia snorted and pecked his lips again.
"Fine, but remember you promised me you'd try something new the other night," Theia responded, poking the center of his chest before slipping around him and to the counter. He had even cut her steak for her. Theia stabbed the seared meat with a fork and shoved it into her mouth, a satisfied groan leaving her.
"Good?" Silas asked, catching her waist with his hands and pulling her back against him. She knew what he wanted and flattened her wings, giving him access. She shoved another mouthful of food in and moaned again. Silas answered with a chuckle and his teeth grazing her neck.
"Remind me again why you chose to be a camp lord and not a chef?" Theia grumbled around another mouthful of perfectly seasoned food.
"Because I'm better at knowing how to kill a man and fight in battle, cooking is reserved specially for you," he hummed against the back of her neck as he rolled his hips against her.
"I thought you wanted me to eat," Theia laughed, though it was smothered by a moan when he squeezed her hips.
"I do, I'm just impatient," Silas cooed, continuing his kisses along her neck. Theia made it halfway through her plate before she couldn't handle it any longer. Silas kept to his promise as he dragged her into the bedroom.
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Theia awoke just before sunrise to Silas kissing her cheek. She hummed, stretching out her arms. He leaned over her, grinning down in the dying moonlight.
"I'm off to work early. There's a new crew of trainees coming in today. I'll see you tonight?"
Theia hummed again, reaching out to hook her arm around his neck and drag him down. He chuckled as she kissed him deeply, still in a haze from the night before. He sat up with a crooked smile, his body still hovering over her. His leathers were tight, giving every hint to how stunning his body was. It wasn't only his body, but his beauty was a far cry from any male that is normally found in the camps.
Silas took pride in his appearance. His hair, a dusty brown shade, was cut close along the edges and long on the top. She loved the long pieces that hung over his brown eyes, her fingers always finding their way into it. His beard was closely trimmed to his jaw, but still full enough to be soft at her touch.
She sat up, pressing another kiss to his lips. "I'll see you tonight. I may be home sooner than usual. I have to go in early today to write the orders."
Silas nodded and slid from the bed, body tall and looming. He shot her a smile and a wink before disappearing through the doorway. Theia adored her life now. Everything felt simple: Work, home, fucking Silas, going to bed. There were no complicated emotions. She had told Silas when he planned to move in that they were only around each other for pleasure and company, nothing more. He understood her intentions, and he didn't care.
Theia stretched out in the soft bed, groaning as her muscles loosened. She laid there until the sun made its way above the mountains. Once the light came in through the window, Theia crawled out of the bed and set for the bathing chamber. She took a long and soothing bath, soaking herself in pine and spiced soap. It was one thing she could never let go of. It was more for herself, rather than a memory of Nyx. It represented the first time she ever felt safe and comfortable.
The air was warmer today, though Theia was still bundled in a jacket. She walked into the village, taking a stop at the bakery for breakfast. Another sense of familiarity washes over her at the smell of the baked treats. When she was on search of a job, she stopped to ask Calliope, the owner, to work in the bakery again. Of course, the female already had an army of employees, so Theia settled for the tavern alone.
"Zacharias! Grab Theia's food!" Calliope called the moment Theia stepped into the bakery. The young male at the counter gave a shouted response and quickly shoved a berry pastry and cinnamon bread into a bag, holding it out. Theia laughed and gave Zacharias a few coins as she took the bag.
"Prompt as always, Zach. Have a good day. Bye, Calli!" She called over her shoulder as she left the bakery. Always hungry, Theia tore a piece of the bread and began eating on her walk. She marched down the main street, waving at the shop owners as they laid out their signs.
One of the warriors posted at the center of the village shot her a wave. Theia grinned, waving back at the male with a fist full of spiced bread. Before she could face forward again, her shoulder was hit by something hard. She yelped, stunning backward as the bread in her hand and the bag hit the dusty ground.
"Ugh," Theia spat, dusting herself off as she grabbed the bag. The berry pastry was safe within the paper container, though her bread was a lost cause beneath the mud and snow. She whirled around to see three figures walking away, large cloaks over their bodies.
"Watch where you walk! You owe me bread!" She shouted behind them, sending a string of curses as she smacked the snow from her bag. A few of the shopkeepers muttered around her, and Theia grumbled under her breath as she tucked the pastry to her chest and continued her trek to the tavern.
She unlocked the front door and slipped in, immediately starting the fire at the large hearth. The air slowly warmed as she pulled her coat off and brought out the parchment. She spent the next couple hours taking stock of the inventory. From the kegs of ale to the bottles of wine, a lot of numbers had changed throughout the month.
Theia had convinced Nico to supply a variety of wine after her stay in Velaris. She realized it was the perfect option between ale and whiskey. As she finished tearing the parchment from the pad and placing the bottles back on the shelf, the door opened. Theia huffed and sat the paper down.
"We're closed until the afternoon," she called out to the cloaked figures that stepped into the tavern. Her eyes narrowed when she realized it was two of the three that sent her bread into the earth. They stomped their boots, the larger one shaking the timber floors. The smaller one was the first to pull their cloak off, revealing a smiling female. Theia made a confused face.
"Did you not hear me? The tavern is closed until the afternoon," she spat, already starting to move from behind the counter to usher them out.
"We thought you could open early for an old friend," the larger one spoke. Theia stopped suddenly, her eyes darting to the shadowed face that was hidden beneath the cloak hood. Her body felt numb as shock slammed into her with the force of an army.
Cassian was in the tavern.