N is for Nyx: An Eikasia Prelude
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Nyx pushed her food around her plate at supper, and though Thaddeus, Fotini, and Atalo conversed animatedly, she did not come out of her shell, not even when her little brother moved Thaddeus’s plate of curds beneath his elbow. Quietly, she cleared the table, then retired to her room. Her mother watched her go with a sigh.
Later, Fotini appeared at Nyx’s bedroom entrance. “Little night shard?”
Nyx didn’t answer. She lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.
She heard her mother slip past her bead curtain and felt her sit on the bed. “Sweet Aelurus…I didn’t have to deal with such behavior from Thad until he turned fourteen at the latest! But then again, I forget how much more mature you already are when compared to him at eleven, so...” she trailed off. A few moments passed, and the woman took a deep breath. “Nyx.” The name came with a great rush of air, and Fotini shook her head. “I’m sorry I was insensitive about your A-pa’s books. I know they mean a lot to you. I’ve talked to Atalo about it, and he won’t be allowed near any food unless it’s mealtime and I’m there to watch him eat it.” The woman rolled her eyes. “Gods, that I was born such a wild child.”
Nyx rolled onto her side, facing away from her mother. Fotini looked at her, pained. Touching her daughter’s little foot, she said quietly. “Yes, Atalo is wild, but I love him for his antics, as I love you for yours, my little night shard. I love that you love books and that you are so capable of learning so much. I want you to know that I do care for you and the things you find important, but sometimes we must compromise, yes? It’ll be an exercise for the both of us, kitten.”
The girl looked at her mother. Slowly she sat up. “A-ma. I’m sorry I ran away.”
“You were frustrated and hurt, my love,” Fotini said, smiling as she hugged her daughter. “I will try to be a better mother. I will try, so please forgive me when I fail?”
Nyx turned her face into the woman’s neck. “Okay…”
The next day after breakfast, Thaddeus opened the front door, intent on checking a squeaky window from the outside, when he came across something on the front step. Frowning he picked it up and came back inside. “Nyx?” he called.
The girl was practicing her Common handwriting from the good pages of her alphabet book. “Yes?” she said, blinking up at him.
Thaddeus held out a small scroll to her, which was attached to a leather pouch. “This is for you.”
Nyx blinked and took the items from him. Opening the pouch first, she was surprised to find it was filled with the same coins her mother had given her the day before. Turning next to the note, she unfurled it and read the shaky Ailuran,
Dear Nyx,
You’re friend was right. I shouldn’t treat my best customer with such shoddy service. I had no right to take your coin when I couldn’t perform the task you wished of me, so here is a once-in-a-lifetime refund! But you know, I went poring over my personal collection of books, and I realized that maybe all it took was a bit more effort from me. So here is a list of the words ruined in your book, alphabetized, with examples in both Common and Ailuran. You’re lucky, kitten, that there was only one page that saw your brother’s terror! Otherwise, I would have had to give you something else for free…perish the thought!
Your Trusty Provider,
Marq
Following this was a short list of words and examples in both languages, as the elf had promised. Nyx was grinning so hard, her face ached.
“What was it?” Thaddeus asked, pulling a chair out next to his sister.
The girl slipped the note into her alphabet book and took up her leather pouch. “Nothing! I’m going shopping!” the girl exclaimed, still smiling.
He watched her go with wide eyes. “Damn, what’s the rush?” Then he sat up straighter in his chair just as his sister ran out the door. “Oh! Hey! You aren’t going to see that filthy elf are y--!” he was cut off as the door slammed shut behind Nyx. Thaddeus let out a hissing breath, his eyes turning onto the note that his sister had slipped into her book. Pulling it close to him, the man opened it, and his eyes were drawn to one thing…
A is for Always, as in, "Nyx will always love her family, and will always be loved in return."
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Lexicon
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Aelurus – The Goddess of the Night. Also the progenitor of Ailurans. Her symbol is the black leopard. She represents inner strength, the passion of the beast, and cunning.
Ailuran – A specific race of therians that can shapeshift into feline forms.
Anade – Ailuran word meaning “banana.”
Cajeck – Ailuran word meaning, “idiot.”
Erduk – Ailuran word meaning, “school.”
Koen – Ailuran word meaning, “brother.”
Koah – Ailuran word meaning, “sister.”
Therian – A species of mortal beings capable of shapeshifting into beast-like forms. While at a glance, therians seem to resemble humans, the difference lies in proportion and certain subtle qualities that hint to the spiritual force lying dormant beneath.
About the Author – Illise Montoya
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Illise Montoya was born and raised in California. She’s married to an incredible Air Force soldier and owns three cats: Freya, Xena, and Captain Nathaniel Garro. Her interests include video gaming, film and animation, comic books, and of course, literature. When she’s not shooting feral ghouls or watching her favorite drama show, she’s either studying, spending time with her family, or writing either one of her ongoing free web serials: Eikasia and Akumu Love Panic! Her zodiacs are the Dragon and the Sagittarius. She’s a proud brony (or pegasister if you prefer), she’s openly bisexual, her favorite color is red, and the Uncanny X-men are her absolute favorite superheroes. Did we mention she’s a geek?
Connect with the Author
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Eikasia’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eikasia-A-Free-Fantasy-Serial/131333536739
Eikasia’s YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/user/EikasiaNovel/featured
Eikasia’s Official Website: https://www.eikasia-novel.com/
Akumu Love Panic! Official Website: https://www.eighthcirclestudios.com/alp/
Illise’s blog: https://illisemontoya.wordpress.com/
Illise’s Deviant Art Profile: https://majiknine.deviantart.com
Illise’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/cajeck
Other Books and Stories by Illise Montoya
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Tooth and Nail: An Eikasia Prelude
Reflections: An Eikasia Prelude
Tributaries (Eikasia #1)
In Sight, In Mind (Eikasia #2)
Blackwood (Eikasia #3)
Akumu Love Panic!