Chapter 16
Evangeline
We are left with a chained Nephilim and a sour-looking Zephyr.
To be fair, he’s looked sour since I’ve arrived, but the lovely wedding gift the demon king dropped off has rattled him.
The creature is no longer screaming, which is a small reprieve.
The vitriolic anger spewing from the Nephilim earlier was painful.
It was like it carved each word into my brain, bringing me into the pain it felt.
Flashes of war and blood clouded my vision, threatening to suffocate me in its ire, but when the screaming stopped, so did the pain.
Shortly after the demon king made his hasty exit, Zephyr, with the help of some palace guards, led the Nephilim away. He murmured something to Niko about a dungeon, so I’m assuming that’s where they will house the creature. I just hope the dungeon is far away from where we sleep.
Niko and I watch in silence as Zephyr disappears from view.
His body tenses once we’re alone, and for the first time, I see the king he is.
The man standing next to me carries the weight of his entire kingdom.
Of the loved ones he could lose if the war doesn’t go in his favor.
That kind of pressure would make any man fall to their knees, and yet Niko remains tall, his jaw set with fierce determination.
Something stirs low in my belly, a newfound appreciation for Niko’s strength.
He must sense me staring at him because he turns his head, offering me a smile. His brown freckles are prominent on his pale face, only adding to his boyish charm. But the way his heated eyes rake over me reminds me that Niko is far from a mere boy, and my cheeks flush.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
As if on instinct, he reaches for me. I’m coming to learn that Niko likes touch.
Maybe it makes him feel grounded, like cooking does for me.
I accept his touch. It’s gentle and non-demanding, with no expectations behind it.
I’m not certain he even knows he’s doing it.
He takes my hands, and his thumb gently caresses my palm. It’s all I can do to keep focused.
“I’m good,” I say, though my voice sounds far too breathy.
The demon king’s words echo in my brain, and my earlier worries come back to me.
“Is what the demon king said true? That I can talk to the Nephilim and you can’t?
” This is a sentence I’ve never pictured myself saying.
Demon king. Nephilim. What is my life now?
Niko frowns. “It appears that way. But I don’t think it’s safe to experiment with communicating with the Nephilim until we are mated. I’ll feel slightly better about it then. However, I will not force you to speak with the creature if you are against it.”
His words fill me with relief I didn’t know I needed from him.
I’m not eager to try that again. Still, lingering doubt remains.
I can’t avoid this forever, even if he says it’s okay.
If I’m here to help them win this war—though I still don’t think I’m the right woman for the job—then I need to pull my weight as well.
The adventurous spirit my parents instilled in me keeps the fear at bay for now.
I can do this. Even if right now it seems impossible.
“That was certainly unexpected,” a familiar voice says from behind. As if we’ve been caught doing something salacious, I pull away from Niko. I don’t miss his confused frown as I put some distance between us.
Lady Thalia takes us in, Finnick perched on her shoulders, and a kind, motherly smile appears on her face. “I assume you both are alright? I see Zephyr has escorted one of those beasts to our dungeon.”
“We are. For now,” Niko assures. Mother and son share a silent look, one that holds promises to explain the demon king’s unusual visit. “I’ll explain more later, but for now I should see if Zephyr needs any assistance.” He looks at me.
I can’t help but feel like a burden he must babysit, even though he’s the one who asked for me to come to his kingdom.
To be his wife. Something I can’t forget.
“You can go. I’ll be fine,” I say, even though the thought of him leaving fills me with unexpected dread.
There’s a certain warmth I feel when Niko’s around.
A tether of safety that snaps the moment he walks away.
Even with Zephyr and his cold distance, there’s a feeling of rightness being near him that I can’t comprehend.
Finnick leaps from Lady Thalia’s shoulder and flutters toward us, wings shimmering in the light.
“We’ll keep an eye on Eva while you go handle the terrifying creature that wants us all dead.
” His tone is far too cheerful, as if the threat is amusing rather than horrifying.
He huffs, crossing his tiny arms. “I wasn’t even finished showing her around before you barged in and ruined our breakfast.”
“That does little to make me feel better, Brother,” Niko mumbles. “Your tours are questionable at best. The last guest you took on a tour came back drunk on fairy wine wearing completely different clothes.”
Finnick grins wickedly, his tiny shoulders rolling with silent laughter. “One of my better tours. The woman stole a—”
“I will make sure our future queen is taken care of,” Lady Thalia interrupts, cutting Finnick off.
He scowls at her before floating down to land on my shoulder. The careful ease with which he trusts me makes me smile. The mischievous little sprite is easily becoming one of my favorite people.
“I was on my way to the healing ward,” Lady Thalia continues. “Evangeline can join me if she chooses.”
“That sounds dreadful,” Finnick mumbles under his breath, flying to land on his mother’s shoulder. “We don’t accept.”
“Actually,” I gain the attention of the other two fae, “I would like that. I don’t feel like I understand the severity of the kingdom’s problems or my role in all of this.
I want to get a better understanding of what’s happening here and see for myself what I can do.
” If anything—but I don’t add that part.
No point in making everyone else doubt my abilities to help when I have enough doubt for everyone.
Niko presses his lips together, a flicker of conflict passing over his face. He clearly doesn’t want to leave me, even if he trusts his mother and brother to keep me safe.
Before I can stop myself, I reach out, my fingers lightly brushing his shoulder. He’s so solid beneath my touch—warm, steady—and I have to force myself not to linger.
“You and Zephyr...” I pause, suddenly unsure, my voice softer than I intended. “You can join us once you’ve taken care of the Nephilim.”
For a moment, our gazes lock, and our surroundings disappear. There’s nothing but him and me at this moment. A question of trust is on the table before us. Trust that I’ll be safe. Trust that he’ll come find me. This soft, fragile bond growing between us strengthens with just a simple look.
The trance we’re under breaks when Niko finally sighs, placing his hand over mine.
My stomach does a weird little flip at his touch, and he gives my hand a gentle squeeze.
“I’ll return soon.” I can’t help but notice he makes no such promises for Zephyr.
Shifting his gaze past me, he addresses his mother. “Keep her safe.”
“With my life, Son,” Lady Thalia promises. And it doesn’t matter that I just met this woman. I trust her. She reminds me of my own mother in a lot of ways. Strong. Beautiful. Capable. Intelligent. All the things I strive to be.
“Very well. I’ll be back soon.”
Niko’s eyes linger on mine, a silent question hanging in the air. For a heartbeat, I think he’s going to kiss me. The thought steals my breath, heat rushing to my cheeks, which is a ridiculous response to someone I barely know.
But then he steps back. The moment shatters like glass, reminding me just how absurd that would have been. He gives me a final, almost wistful smile, then turns and disappears in the direction Zephyr went, leaving me with the echo of what almost was.
When I turn back toward Lady Thalia, a knowing smile greets me.