Chapter 56 Nyte
Nyte
The city and the fields beyond bore many wounds of war. I kept a tight grip of Astraea’s hand as we walked over the bridge, as she insisted we see it all—that we owed that to them.
I would disagree, but I kept my selfish thoughts to myself this time in consideration of all the sorrow we walked through.
Astraea had given more to the world than they would ever thank her for.
That’s not why she did it—stayed resilient in her duty as the star-maiden to a world that had all but given up on her—I knew this.
She didn’t do it for praise or glory or power.
She did it because her heart was too precious for any realm.
So it was my sworn duty until the end of our days to make sure she knew how utterly remarkable she was.
“So many deaths,” she said quietly.
I squeezed her hand, watching her survey the survivors tending to their wounded and mourning their fallen.
I couldn’t share the depth of her sorrow for strangers; it would always be a level I couldn’t meet her on, and for a while I’d felt guilty about that incompatibility, believing she might see I was still a monster after all.
Until I realized this was another perfect balance between us: as Astraea mourned with them, I was wholly focused on her, soothing her mind without taking any of her emotions, simply wrapping myself around her sorrow and filling myself in every small crack of the heart I swore to protect.
Astraea tugged me toward a grieving mother and her fallen son, a grown human man, but I was beginning to see it didn’t matter how many years passed or what they did in life: a parent’s child was always just that. A child.
My boy, Marvellas had called me. I couldn’t stop picturing her face. Though she didn’t wear her broken heart for the world to see like this human did, I’d never felt a heart so broken that nothing would have mended it.
My mother was at peace now. At least that’s what I chose to believe. As for my father, I hoped his chains in Hell were melting through his flesh for all eternity.
I thought of Drystan, with an impatient glance up toward the castle. My skin itched to confirm he was still alive after all this.
“Go, I’ll be right behind you,” Astraea said gently.
That brought my attention back to her and I smiled. Fuck, I couldn’t stop this new light in my chest from flaring at the mere sight of her, as if it was the first time.
She kneeled by the fallen man, lifting a beige sheet over his body while the mother cried hard with the finality of this goodbye. I slipped into the woman’s mind, not taking her grief but soothing it. Reminding her that he fought valiantly and gave his life bravely for a better world for everyone.
Her crying eased, and Astraea flicked a look up at me, knowing what I’d done.
We continued through the city, stopping occasionally when Astraea couldn’t stand to pass by any citizen alone in their deep mourning or anyone who needed help.
She directed many of them toward the castle, where we’d immediately get an infirmary set up and call every healer we could there imminently.
I kissed her head, and we kept walking in silence while she gave her thoughts to the people. She gasped and I turned rigid, but upon spying Rosalind’s distinct pink hair across the torn street of rubble and dust, I relaxed.
I didn’t know how much I’d allowed myself to care about the survival of Rosalind and Zathrian until an immense relief lifted upon seeing them alive.
It wasn’t just for Astraea I harbored these emotions either, and it would take time to let myself acknowledge—whether they tested the very limits of my patience or inspired bouts of amusement—that I wanted these people in my life.
When Rosalind spotted Astraea, I thought I’d never seen such relief and joy over Rosalind’s face before. I had to let go of Astraea’s hand as they jogged to meet each other, colliding with bright smiles and soft laugher; it was impossible not to find it contagious.
“Look at you,” Zath mused, catching up to me. “I think that’s the most expression I’ve ever seen on you.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
He chuckled. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
I scanned him subtly; he appeared unharmed for the most part, save for a few superficial wounds. He caught my assessment.
“You do care about me; I knew it!”
To my complete dismay, Zathrian hugged me. He was almost the same height as me, with a broad build, and his embrace was far more aggressive than a woman’s.
“Hug me back, you bastard. We just survived war against fucking gods.”
I couldn’t help the single laugh that escaped me; then I allowed the embrace. It was a strange feeling. Friends.
Zath pulled back, or rather pushed me back, jostling me a little and patting my shoulder because I was starting to get offended.
“You’ll get better at it,” he said, not dropping his beaming grin in the slightest, so I relaxed.
When Astraea returned, Zath’s playfully aggressive affection amplified, not giving her a second of warning before sweeping her off her feet. My irritable objection flared until she started giggling, such a beautiful sound, as he spun with her because it was precious to witness.
My attention fell to Rosalind, who was already staring at me. I smirked at her familiar scowl, one that felt unique for me personally.
“Are we calling a truce?” I said.
Her face relaxed and she crossed her arms. “For now. Unless you do something to piss her off.”
“I’m sure I’ll give you plenty of opportunities to despise me.”
Rosalind yielded a partial smile, watching Astraea and Zath.
“You’re not completely terrible, I suppose,” she said.
“That’s quite a compliment coming from you.”
When Astraea was back by my side I relaxed from the tension I hadn’t realized was growing in me, even when my eyes were on her.
There’d been so many times I’d had to watch her in enemy clutches that I didn’t think I would ever lose the subconscious fear Astraea could be taken from me when she was out of my reach.
My arm slipped around her waist as we continued making our way up to the top level of the city.
Many walls and structures needed to be repaired and rebuilt, but as I studied the wreckage I didn’t feel anything but potential.
To rebuild better, stronger. War was not without mass desolation and destruction, but the only way to honor the fallen and heal the land was to remember what we fought for and not waste a moment to push forward on the bright path victory had opened.
In the courtyard we found Eltanin and Athebyne, which distracted me from the bodies strewn around and the amount of repair needed.
Eltanin gave something of a loud rattle in greeting; his joy vibrated through me when he saw us.
As he shifted his large head down, Astraea giggled, stroking his feathers, when his gentle nudge stumbled her footing.
He didn’t grow again when the next full moon passed, leaving his mature size just a little bigger than Athebyne’s, which in truth was a relief.
He would have barely fit in this courtyard himself if he’d grown any bigger.
“Where have you two been?” Drystan called.
My brother’s voice had never made me feel such peace before.
Turning my head back, he stormed to us with Nadia close behind.
“I’ve been worried sick! I knew that goodbye during the battle was suspicious and you’d likely be plotting some bullshit to sacrifice yourself or holding secrets I didn’t know about. You’re good at that—always keeping me out—”
I pulled Drystan into an embrace when he marched close enough, shocking even myself with the uncharacteristic impulse. Drystan was absolutely stiff against me, and I patted his back with a chuckle before letting him go.
“What is happening?” Drystan muttered, looking me over as if I were a foreign invader in his brother’s body.
“We got you something,” I said casually.
Reaching into the void, I pulled out the monocular telescope.
Drystan’s eyes widened on the item, then on me.
“Is that—?”
I nodded and it had been so long since I’d seen that particular stare of joyous wonder on his face as he snatched it from me.
“What is it?” Nadia inquired, seeming unimpressed as Drystan inspected every inch of the metal.
“An eye for the unseeing,” a different voice answered for us.
I turned to find Balthezar strolling onto the courtyard, his hand guiding his son by the shoulder.
“N-Nyte! Astraea!” Brody cried cheerfully, leaving his father’s side to skip to us. “Did-did you see? I-I have a Dra-dragon!”
Astraea looked to me for confirmation, and for the first time I smiled at the boy.
“I did. It seems you’ve been chosen as the King of the Seas,” I said to him.
I reached through the void again and felt the collective stun around me at the trident, which radiated with dangerous power even idle in my grasp.
“I think your father should hold onto this for now though,” I said, offering it to the captain.
He looked at it in surprise. “You would hand over such a powerful weapon?”
“We have no use for it. Though I only ask you swear on your life to make sure it never reaches nefarious hands. Certainly never those of a nymph.”
Balthezar took the trident cautiously. “I will guard it with my life and that of my crew.”
Astraea’s hand slipped into mine, and she gave me one of her most endearing smiles, which sparkled the stars in her silver-blue eyes.
The next presence I detected washed a new wave of relief over me; it was becoming exhausting to keep up with these fluctuating emotions.
As I flicked my gaze toward the direction I sensed, the sight of Elliot filled me with gratitude because he’d made it, but it was tragic to watch him walk alone.
Battle-worn and tired. I wouldn’t let him walk alone anymore, not when our circle grew on this courtyard with people who would welcome him as easily as the Golden Guard did.
I approached him myself. Neither of us smiled, but we shared our grief.
“Zeik was always the most confident that we all would make it,” he said.
That slashed me within, but the wound was welcome when we could remember our … friends.
“He always was the most optimistic bastard,” I said.
Elliot huffed, shy of breaking into laughter.
“I keep trying to convince myself their deaths meant something, that they contributed to the war we’ve won, but I can’t. Sorleen … she didn’t even get to live. How does time mean anything when it isn’t filled with any dreams or desires, only suffering?”
I didn’t have any condolences or wisdom to soothe his loss and pain. Not when I’d existed before without any care for time myself.
“None of them got to live the lives they deserved. It will forever be one of my greatest failures.”
“And mine,” Elliot said.
I placed a hand on his shoulder, sharing that burden for a moment.
Behind Elliot, a flicker of red hair caught my attention. Tarran also arrived alone. I still didn’t trust him, nor was I particularly pleased to see him, but I returned to Astraea’s side because of the expression he wore as he tried not to display his grief, but it was there.
Astraea saw it too, and she walked to meet him.
“She didn’t make it,” he informed us, his voice reducing on the last words.
With the way he only spoke to Astraea, as if it was something personal to them, I knew who he meant.
Laviana was like a sister to Astraea.
The resilient elder vampire had been a pivotal leader for the vampires, devoted to seeing them achieve the equality they deserved and to not be seen as vicious monsters.
For her, I mourned silently.
Astraea covered her mouth and tears glistened in her eyes. The aftermath of battle was always so desolate and would linger in the air for weeks to come. This was only the beginning of discovering all their losses.
“Take me to her,” she whispered.