Isa and Nyx part 5
"Have you come to kill me, my love?" Isa called out to Nyx as he approached her. She looked regal, sitting atop the spring court throne.
She oozed power like never before. Gone were the days of her frilly dresses. She was much more practical in a maroon jumpsuit and a gold corset. Rings adorned every finger and her ears were decorated in gold jewelry. Behind the dark charcoal covering her eyes and the various tattoos that covered her face, she still had a look of innocence. It was dangerous. It drew everyone in. Made Fae and human alike want to protect her. The item that garnered the most attention by far was the beautiful crown atop her head. It's black gems gleamed under the light. Nyx eyed her carefully before nodding his head. A signal to his companions to proceed with caution.
"No Isa, I come to talk some sense into you."
He did not want a fight. Especially with her, but if it came down to protecting his home or her. He would pick his home every time.
"That is why you accept my invitation with two night court warriors at your side?" Her eyebrows were raised as her eyes scanned both warriors by his side. She was sizing them up. Trying to determine their strengths and weaknesses just by their stance.
"They are my friends, first and foremost. I trust their advice." He didn't like the inherent threat Isa posed. She didn't have to say anything. Nyx understood the look in her eye alone. She felt outnumbered and vulnerable. She would certainly strike first if Nyx did not de-escalate the situation.
"I do not believe we have had the pleasure of meeting then. I am Isa, high lady of the spring court, leader of the eastern coven, and overseer of the spirits. And you are?"
She looked to the male first with a pleasant smile on her face. If Nyx had not informed them of Isa's true demeanor beforehand, they certainly would have been charmed by her. She could be the most likable fae in the room when she wanted to be.
"Uh," he paused to glance at Nyx "Val. Son of the Illyrian general and Valkyrie general?" He shuffled on his feet as a way to release the awkward tension. Val found the female before him to be beautiful, but something sinister lay below. Even as he felt that, he wanted to know her. It was almost an urgent feeling. To understand everything that made her this way. He gave her a cautious look as he attempted to fight against her magic. She gave him a disarming smile.
"And you?"
She addressed the female with an even larger smile. If the room hadn't been charged with an uncomfortable electricity, Melody would think this was a rather civil meeting.
"Melody. Daughter of the Shadowsinger."
She attempted to answer as vaguely as possible but the witch was too smart for that. Based on the warriors response, Isa knew Melody favored her mother. She also knew Melody viewed her mother as the weaker fighter.
"Mother?"
"A Valkyrie as well."
"A female of few words. You truly must be Azriel's daughter. You really do look just like your mother though. Especially with the red hair."
Melody's gaze sharpened immediately. They all heard the threat for what is was. It was what Isa was best at. Finding a weakness and zoning in on it so imperceptibly. She was so sly about it that Melody almost felt she overreacted until she saw Nyx's reaction. Nyx glared at Isa because he also saw the comment as a threat. Isa seemed bored with the threats because she switched back to the topic at hand with a roll of her eyes and a flick of her hand.
"Join me, Nyx. Join me in unifying Pyrinthian."
"Isa, you cannot do this." Nyx tried again, but before he could explain, Isa interrupted.
"Why?"
It seemed a genuine question. Her brows were scrunched together and her head tilted slightly to the right. It was hard to know when she was being genuine or not though. Nyx hated his mate bond in this moment. Because even though she had already threatened the lives of his friends and family, he still wanted to kiss her. He wanted to smooth out the scrunch of her brows and brush her long hair out of her face. Her white hair was longer than it had ever been. Part of it was braided away from her face but small pieces managed to escape. He wanted to push them to the side and caress her cheek. He hated how distracted she made him.
"Because it is wrong. Unifying is just a pretty way to say conquering." He strengthened his resolve. He would not let her win this one. It was wrong. Mate or otherwise, she could not change his mind.
"This fight is getting old, Nyx. You can pretend that I am immoral while you stand on the side of heroics and all things good, but you cannot fool me. I am your mate after all." She let out an exasperated sigh. She was right though. It was an old fight between them and not one he was willing to rehash at the moment.
"I will rule by your side in the spring court, but I will not be king of Pyrinthian and I will not help you become queen of it."
He hoped to placate her. He would live as a dutiful husband at her side. She could make all decisions as she see fit for her court and he would support her. Part of him even wanted that. The look on her face suggested she would rather eat her own hands before ruling idly by his side.
"So you are willing to kill Larissa out of jealousy, but draw the line at unification? Interesting morals." Isa pursed her lips in accusation. He was waiting for the moment she would bring this up. Nyx's friends shot him a wayward look. He had not briefed them on this tidbit. Mainly because he didn't want to relive the shame he felt.
"That is not fair. Larissa attacked me." He defend weakly. Isa's gaze sharpened at that. Nyx winced as he realized he should have just let it go.
"Do not insult my intelligence. You were upset that I was going to reject our mating bond, so you killed her." She stood from her throne as she shouted at the trio. It was the first instance of true emotion she had been willing to show. Melody instantly clocked it.
"That is not what happened. She was jealous of our bond and attacked."
"Surprise, surprise. Nyx, privileged prince of the night court refusing to take responsibility for his actions. Per usual." Isa deflected her anger with sarcasm. She sat back down and rolled her shoulders as if she was rolling the emotions she felt away from her body.
"Isa, I am sorry about Larissa but-" Nyx tried again but Isa would hear no more of it.
"Enough. You will be king of Pyrinthian by my side or you can join Larissa in the afterlife. Your choice."
Nyx's mistake was pausing. Before he could say anything, Isa flicked her hand to the right. A red smile carved itself into Melody's neck. Nyx reached out to grab her as she crumpled to the floor when he realized.
He cannot move.
"Melody!" He shouted for her. He turned his head to Val only to realize he could not move either.
"I will ruin your life exactly as you have ruined mine. I will become your worst nightmare."
An ugly look crossed Isa's face that promised pain and suffering for Nyx. He did not doubt she would follow through with that plan either.
"You monster." He shouted. He tried to fight whatever magical bond she had him under, but it was no use.
Suddenly, the image before him dissolved. Now, Isa was standing right in front of Nyx with Val on his knees before her. Nyx turned his head to see Melody standing next to him. Her wide eyes focused solely on Val. The confusion became worse as Isa poked at Val's wings.
"I heard these are valuable." She teased.
"Please, don't." He begged. A cruel smile lifted the edge of her mouth. She took Ataraxia, the sword Val had in his sheath, and brought it down on his wings, severing them from his back. There was a certain kind of malice behind using his own sword to disfigure him. Nyx would never forget the sounds of Val's screams or the images of his severed bloody wings. Tears were streaming down his face now. The confusion mixed with the brutal scenes he just witnessed had left him vulnerable. The scene before him once again dissolved away only to be replaced by something completely different.
Nyx was standing in a room, watching a scene play out. Isa was laying in a bed, sweaty and exhausted with a bloody baby laying on her chest. A small smile pulled at Isa's lips until an older woman approached.
"A girl."
"She's perfect." Isa replied as the old woman grabbed the baby off her chest.
Nyx finally realized what he was watching: Isa giving birth.
"What are you doing?" Isa asked. Her tone was slightly tinged with panic. The exhaustion still seemed to be winning out.
"Just going to clean her off. Don't worry."
Nyx continued to watch as Isa fell asleep and as she woke up again. Once the exhaustion ebbed away, panic set in full force.
"Where is she?" Isa yelled. Except no one answered. She kept tripping as she got out of the bed and walked towards the door. Once she realized it was locked was when all hell broke loose.
"Open the door!" She screeched. "Please, bring her back."
Nyx watched for the next hour as Isa screamed, and banged, and scratched at the door until her hands were raw and bleeding. He had never felt so trapped and desperate. He knew he was under some type of spell, but did not know how to break free. He could be stuck in this loop for the rest of his life, watching a past Isa lose her mind as her baby was stolen right from under her nose. Right at the moment he felt like he was losing himself, the image dissolved again. Nyx saw Isa still sitting in her throne looking as pristine as always. He turned to see both his friends looking as healthy as ever. Val with both wings still attached to his body and Melody with her neck untouched.
"What the hell was that?" He screamed at his mate.
"A reminder of what you made me into. You have ruined my life over and over again and I will repay the favor if I find it necessary. My child was ripped from my arms and sacrificed to the spirits for you. You murdered my lover. I could so easily show you what that feels like."
A desperate look entered her eyes. The same look he saw as her baby was snatched from her arms. He hated that even now the mate bond was at work. He hated how he wanted to comfort her. How he wanted to wrap his arms around her and promise that no one would ever hurt her again.
"I never asked you to do that for me." Was all he could muster. Val was on his knees groaning while Melody wept softly next to Nyx. He realized then that Isa had gifted them their own horror scene to live out.
"Are you trying to piss me off? Because you are doing an excellent job at it. Get out of my face if you do not wish to accept my offer."
She was giving him an out. He quirked his head to the side as he analyzed Isa. She felt the effects of the mate bond too and she didn't want to fight him on this. She wanted him to leave before it escalated.
"I am sorry, Isa. But I will not allow my home to fall under your rule."
"Do you find me incompetent? Why must one ruler mean Pyrinthian will fall?" She was soft as she said this. Softer than she had been in decades.
"You just showed me why you cannot be the ruler." He screeched. His emotions finally overwhelming him.
"You are not well, Isabelle." His voice was much softer now. "Until you come to terms with the past, you will never see how unhinged this plan is."
He decided to approach her then. The bond had become unbearably painful and he was tired of fighting it. Isa viewed him with a guarded look as he approached. The two females guarding Isa stepped closer to her as Nyx approached. Isa waved them off as Nyx knelt before her. He was so close Isa could see the tears in his eyes. She thought she might feel a sick sense of joy at his pain. Instead she just felt hollow. He grabbed her hands and held on tightly.
"I want you, Isa. I want a life with you. But not like this. Please," he had to catch his breathe to avoid a sob from seeping out. "Do not make me choose." He let his forehead fall into her lap. It was meant to hide his tears but he felt intoxicated by her closeness. She stared at him for so long. This chess game they had been playing seemed to come to a stalemate. She was trying to decide how best to move next. A quick glance at the pair of warriors who stood at the foot of the dais gave Isa the confidence to say the next few words. Even with their fae hearing, they would not hear her whispered words to Nyx.
"You never asked who the father was."
Nyx lifted his head to stare at her broken face. A face trying to hold back all the pain it had endured. But she couldn't hide the mate bond from him and he felt all her pain through that. Nyx didn't need to ask who the father was. Over the centuries they had known each other, they had always found their way back to each other. Even when they hated each other, they still shared a bed. He didn't need to ask who the father was because he had always known the only fae she would allow to finish inside her was him. They both remembered the prophesy. He always thought it was her way to punish him as well. If that had truly been the case though she would have sought him out the minute she discovered she was pregnant.
"You should have told me sooner." Tears streamed down his face as he gripped her cheeks in his hands. She was still staring at him with a desperate emotion. He knew tonight would not end well for one of them. That thought is what propelled him forward. He roughly pushed his lips against hers, pulling her out of her throne and down to her knees in front of him as well. He kissed her so desperately as though she could slip through his fingers. She kissed him back with the same amount of ferocity. Her hands gripped his face just as fiercely. Their lips and tongues battled for dominance but eventually he let her win, letting her determine the kiss. It was anguished and desperate and emotional. It was everything a kiss should and shouldn't be. He roughly pulled her lips away from his but left his forehead to rest on hers. Their lips brushed against each other as he murmured his next words.
"I want you."
She let out a breathe-less sob. That was the moment Nyx knew he had a chance. He pressed another rough kiss to her lips.
"Marry me, Isa."
"What?" She attempted to pull away with a startled look in her eye but Nyx wouldn't let her.
"Marry me. Please. Grow old with me. Bear my children. Please, Isa. Be content with the life we could have together."
Her eyes hardened at that. Her hands fell away from his shoulders. She began to push herself back up- to sit on the throne, Nyx was sure. He didn't let her get that far though. He kept a firm grip so that she was basically sitting in his lap. He felt as she shut off their bond.
"I will not be your housewife. I am not placated by sweet words, dear mate. You expect me to sit around, raise your children, while you are off on adventures, fucking your way through Pyrinthian? You are sorely mistaken if you think I will be satisfied by subpar sex." She hissed out. Nyx knew it was irrational to feel hurt by what she said. She was feeling exposed and nervous so she lashed out like she always does. And Nyx fell into her trap like he always does. It's the reason he couldn't understand why they were mated.
"You've never complained before." He shoved her off him and onto the ground as he stood up. He dusted off his suit before stepping off the dais. "Then again, I usually save the effort for those that are worth it." He watched as his friends winced at that. He didn't even want to look at Isa. He didn't want to imagine her reaction.
He turned to look as her once she started laughing, semi-hysterically. The black charcoal that rimmed her eyes now streaked down her cheeks. The only indication she had shed any tears.
"And you wonder why your sweet words cannot bend me to your will? Because I know they only last as long as I am complacent. That is how it has always worked between us." She screeched. No male could drive her to the level of insanity that this one could. She knew now that too much had transpired between them for a happily ever after to play out.
"Good bye." Nyx signaled to his friends that it was time to leave. Nothing could be fixed now. No amount of talking would convince Isa to throw away her plans.
"Do not walk away from me!" She shouted. The doors to the foyer closed on their own accord as Isa appeared in front of them. Her tattoos were glowing as she glared at the trio. Val gripped his sword as Melody glanced for another exit.
In the next blink, Isa's eyes turned solid black and Nyx knew what that meant. He had to act fast before they were all killed. He thrusted out his sword, but Isa dodge him quickly. He swung again, only to graze her arm. The transformation was already beginning though. Her hands had turned to talons and her skin was turning to scales.
"I think you failed to mention this development." Melody shouted over the roaring wind in the room. It was so strong it stung as it licked at their skin. Nyx could almost hear the spirits taunting him. Isa lashed out with a long talon. Nyx barely dodged as he reached for her again. He would not let his friends die. He knew exactly when she was at her weakest during the transformation. He would have a small window of time to act. He just had to keep them all alive until then.
"I figured you knew she could shape shift. Her father could." Nyx shouted back as he tried to keep Isa's attention on him. He was dodging and returning with a strike of his own. Val was attempting to rush her from behind but the wind made it hard. Melody, who was the smallest of the three, was still struggling to stand against its strength.
"Yeah...into a wolf!" Val shouted back. "What the hell is this?"
Nyx's moment was arising. Just as her teeth began to elongate, her neck broke. Her head was hanging limply backwards as Nyx drove his sword into her abdomen. Suddenly, the wind stopped and the transformation began to reverse with his sword still buried in her stomach. Once the adrenaline faded, Nyx looked up to see Isa staring back at him. Not the monster she had become, but the girl he first met decades ago. She fell back onto the floor and Nyx felt the gravity of what he had done. The mate bond was shriveling and screeching and dying. He stared at her crumpled body a moment longer before rushing to her. He knelt down and picked her up. Holding her body close to him.
Nyx wrapped her tighter in his arms. Slow tears leaked from her eyes while Nyx tried to blink his away.
"I am sorry, Isa."
Blood gently poured from her lips. They both knew this was the end. This was how it was always meant to end.
"Only a hero would kill his own mate to save the world."
He had never felt as disgusted with being a hero as he did in this moment. Isa slowly lifted her hand to his face, blood still covered it. She softly stroked his cheek. Nyx held her closer to him. If he was not already on his knees, he would have fallen to them from the pain searing through his heart.
"I had to." He whispered. "I had to."
"I know." She spluttered. Blood from her mouth hit his face. A sob finally broke from his mouth.
Everything had finally hit him. The decades of fighting with her had caused an insurmountable level of anxiety. It didn't go away with her death though. It only seemed to increase tenfold. He didn't know how long he sat holding her. He felt Melody peeling him away from Isa.
"No!" He shouted. "I can't leave her." He scrambled to her again, only for Val to grip his arms and winnow them away.
He swore to himself then and there, he would never forgive himself for what he did. He should have tried harder to convince her. He should have tried harder to make her see reason. He wondered if his mother's actions had fated them to be star crossed lovers.
Feyre had screwed over Tamlin. Nyx had screwed over Isa. Perhaps it was destiny for them to end this way. He'd rather live an eternity fighting with her than live a second without her. He just realized it too late.
