by Lola Gabriel
“I have to go,” he muttered eventually and pushed past her.
“Wait, please. Don’t leave.” She grabbed his arm as he passed her, but he growled under his breath. She released his arm immediately and watched as he walked toward the front door. He did not say another word to her or even look at her before he stormed out and slammed the door behind him.
The sound echoed through the empty house and a tear ran down Romi’s cheek as his car sped away. Romi’s knees gave way under her and she slid down onto the ground, dropping her head into her hands. Her heart broke into a million sharp shards, and her emotions bled out in the form of tears streaming down her cheeks.
Every word she had said to Nyx was true. Yes, she was a descendant of Rhaena the Wicked, who had cursed him, his brothers, and his family, and caused the destruction of their home in Lunca. Yes, she was a powerful witch who had the ancient blood of Livia Ambrosias flowing through her veins. Yes, she had only known about it for a day. Yes, she was reluctant to tell Nyx, as there was no easy and respectful way to tell him something like that. Romi did not even know how to process it herself.
Romi understood why Nyx had acted the way he did—he was shocked and overwhelmed and angry, but he directed his anger to the wrong person. It was not her fault things had turned out this way. She did not even know about it until last night.
Maybe she should have told him, sure; maybe it was wrong to have kept it for herself, but she wanted to approach the situation with delicacy, as she knew exactly what Nyx’s feelings were regarding Rhaena.
She stood from the floor, dusted herself off, and took a deep breath. She wiped her tears and reached for her phone on the living room table. She needed to call her dad and find out why exactly he didn't tell her about this. Was it his ploy to make sure that Nyx would find out and never want to speak to her again? If that was the case, then her father did a damn good job.
Romi dialed her father’s number, and it only rang a few times before he answered.
“Romiera. It’s so nice of you to call.”
Romi grimaced, but tried to stay calm. She did not want to get overly emotional over the phone; she wanted to say it to his face, while her anger boiled up inside her. She wanted him to see and feel how much this secret had hurt her, and that everything she had ever loved had been ripped away by his selfish need to control her life.
“Hey, Dad. Are you at home right now?”
“Not at the moment. Inges and I are heading out to the countryside. There might be more bears in the area.”
“When will you be home?”
Her father paused for a moment before asking, “Is everything okay, Romiera?”
“I need to talk to you about something. It’s really important.”
“Okay. We should be back by this evening. You can come around the house any time after six.”
“I’ll see you then,” she said, and without waiting for a reply, she disconnected the call.
She stared at the floor for a few seconds, immersed in sadness and despair. She called Nyx’s phone, but it was switched off.
He was mad and felt betrayed, and he didn't want to talk to her, which was fine. She understood that. She would probably feel the same as he did. She did, in fact. She was betrayed by her own father, who despised the idea of his daughter spending time with a Dragon Prince so much that he would purposely keep something a secret for her to find out like she did. Her father knew that something as big as that would shake her very foundation, especially after being Nyx’s True Mate.
Romi’s eyes widened. Did her father know everything already? Was he listening in on their conversations, her thoughts? Or was he aware of it from the very start, like Rhaena?
Could her father really be that evil?
A crack in the floorboards behind her caused her to whirl around, her heart pounding in her chest.
“Hello?” she called out foolishly.
She had seen enough movies to know it was never a good idea to follow a sound in an empty house, but luckily she was armed with her magic. She could take anyone out, of that she was entirely certain.
The floorboard cracked again and she glanced around her, taking slow steps as a ball of red and purple energy formed on her palm. “I’m warning you, whoever you are, now is not the time to fuck with me.”
A dark figure moved in the shadows and out of sheer frustration, Romi threw an orb of energy toward it. The energy orb crashed against the wall, briefly illuminating the figure’s face.
Her eyes widened in shock as an invisible current struck every cell in her body, causing her to drop to her knees. Her chest was tight and she struggled to breathe against the invisible force which now pressed her down onto the ground. Footsteps echoed through the house, and two boots appeared in her line of sight, but before she had the strength to look directly at her attacker, a sudden force hit the back of her head, and she was plunged into a deep pool of darkness.
7
Nyx was livid beyond all measure as he stomped around his living room, a very quiet and wide-eyed Raine sitting on the couch. Raine knew better than to say a single word, as Nyx was in a state which could lead to possible strangulation, if the wrong words were spoken.
Nyx’s eyes flashed violently as he tried to make sense of the information he had just received from Raine, but his mind couldn’t process it. It was too much of a nightmare.
“You’re sure?” Nyx eventually growled.
“I’m sure, Nyx. Henry Friar is the grandson of Rhaena,” Raine repeated.
Nyx had been under the impression that Rhaena had died without having any children, and that any family she did have left were killed in the massacre orchestrated by Nyx’s father and his underlings. Somehow, Rhaena had a son while she was exiled—with god knows who—a son who carried forth the blood of the powerful Ambrosias heritage, Duncan Friar, Romi’s grandfather.
His jaw clenched as he paced angrily around the living room, not sure what to do. He had left Romi’s house so abruptly, the news having shocked him to the core. Even more so when Raine confirmed what he had learned from Romi’s grimoire. Thoughts raced through his mind, scenarios played out before his eyes, and it grew too loud, too fast.
He growled suddenly, and the voices and images disappeared within an instant.
“You should go talk to her.”
“I have nothing to say to her. I’m too angry right now. I might just…” His voice trailed off as he realized the horrible things he was thinking. He could never do anything to harm Romi, regardless of how angry he was, and he was ashamed that he even thought those things.
Her words suddenly came to his mind. After he had told her about what his father did to her father and his coven, she told him it did not matter, and that she did not hate him because he didn’t do anything to her. That it wasn't his fault and that he wasn't to blame or be held accountable for the deeds of his father. What his father did to Romi’s coven didn't influence the way she felt about him; nothing would ever change the way she felt about him.
Nyx lowered his head in shame as he realized that this was exactly the same. Romi was the great-granddaughter of Rhaena the Wicked, who tore his family’s lives apart, cursed him and his brothers, and stole his mother’s Life Thread, which meant she would one day lose her immortality. It wasn’t Romi’s fault that she was related to Rhaena. In fact, she hadn’t even been aware of it.
But even if she was, it shouldn’t make any difference. Nyx loved her, she was his mate, and he was hers. Nothing mattered to him except her safety, and as she had told him, what mattered was that they would rescue one another, and always be there for each other.
The guilt rose up inside him and he turned to Raine. “I have to go talk to her.”
Raine arched his brow and gave Nyx an I-told-you-so expression, and before he could even open his mouth to retort, Nyx nodded. “I know. I know. You were right. I have no right to be angry with her about it. Sure, she didn’t tell me right away, but it’s not an easy thing to say. She k
new how I felt about Rhaena and what she did, and she took my feelings into consideration the whole time. I was just too fucking stupid to see it.”
“Don’t beat yourself up, Nyx, it happens to the best of us,” Raine assured him.
“I guess. We’re far from perfect.”
“Some more than others, myself included.” Raine stood from the couch and approached Nyx. “I have somewhere I need to be. Will you be okay on your own?”
“Yes,” Nyx answered and shook Raine’s hand. “Thanks for listening, Raine.”
“Anytime,” Raine said with a nod.
It had only been a minute after Raine had left when there was a pounding against his door. “Did you forget something?” Nyx asked as he opened the door, but his jaw dropped when he saw the middle-aged man standing in front of him. He knew exactly who he was from the photograph in Romi’s grimoire. “Hello, Henry.”
“Where is my daughter?” Henry growled as he forced his way inside Nyx’s apartment.
Nyx stepped aside and watched as Romi’s father stomped around the apartment, looking for Romi. “Come on in.”
Henry whirled around and glared at him. “Don’t look so smug, you son of a bitch. Where’s my daughter?”
“Romi’s not here.”
“If you’re lying to me, I swear I will rip your head off and spit on your corpse.”
“Whoa, that’s a bit graphic, even for you, sir.”
“Don’t call me sir! Where is my daughter?”
“She’s not here, okay?” Nyx answered and held his hands up in defense.
“I know who you are, and I know what you’re capable of. Your father is an evil man and by experience I know that the rotten apple doesn’t fall far from the rotten tree,” Henry said and pointed his finger at Nyx. “I know what your family did to my family, and I will not allow you to hurt my daughter.”
“Henry—”
“I am not done talking!”
The uneasy feelings of Nyx’s childhood surfaced from deep down within himself. His own father had spoken to him even more harshly than Henry was, and it brought back so many unpleasant memories for him. He cowered slightly under Henry’s anger, but he straightened his shoulders and kept his composure. Nyx knew that his anger wasn't solely toward Nyx, but also toward his entire family. He was just the final nail in the coffin of hatred.
“I don’t approve of your relationship with my daughter. Not now, not ever. She deserves to be with someone who treats her with respect, and someone who didn’t cause her entire family to go up in flames, literally!”
“I understand your concern, Henry, but—”
“But nothing! You stay the hell away from my daughter! Do you understand me?” Henry bellowed, his eyes glowing angrily.
“I do,” Nyx answered, but bravely took a step forward. “Can I just say something?”
“What? What could you possibly say that would make this situation any better?”
“There isn’t anything I can say to make it better, but I can say that I am not my father. I wasn't responsible for the deaths of your family members, and if I could, I would go back and stop my father from doing what he did. He’s not perfect, none of us are, but we make do with what we have. We try to right the wrongs of our ancestors, as difficult as it may be. The blood spilled by their hands can never be washed off, and we’re doomed to walk in the shadow of our family’s mistakes,” Nyx explained.
“Even if we’re innocent?” Henry’s remark was laced with sarcasm.
“No one is truly innocent, Henry,” Nyx said impetuously. “But you don’t have to worry about Romi and me. I messed up and I don’t see how she is going to forgive me.”
Henry’s gaze softened slightly but he showed no sign of change in his posture or his expression. “That’s typical.”
“Maybe, or maybe I was just an idiot who didn't realize that I was upset about the same thing she forgave me for when we met,” Nyx pointed out.
“And what was that?”
“She knew what my father did; all the horror stories about him are true. He did things, nightmarish and inhumane things, things that give even me a deep feeling of disgust and hatred for him. Those people didn't deserve the fate they were given, but I can’t change what my father did. She told me that it didn’t matter to her what my father did, and that I wasn’t like him,” Nyx answered and took a deep breath as the sorrow filled him up from the inside. “When I found out that she is a descendant of Rhaena, the woman who cursed me and my brothers, and the reason why my mother is deteriorating faster and faster every day, I was blind with rage. I felt betrayed that she didn’t tell me about it, even though I know I would have freaked out regardless of when she told me. I accused her of being a liar and…”
His voice trailed off and he shook his head. “I didn’t grant her the same courtesy she bestowed onto me. She believed in me, that I was different., but I didn’t do the same for her.”
Henry shifted his weight in discomfort, not sure what to say to Nyx, who was pouring his heart out to him.
“Henry, I love your daughter, more than anything in the world, but I hurt her and I can’t undo it.”
“Romiera is an understanding soul,” Henry said quietly. “But she does not take betrayal and false accusations lightly, as you can imagine.”
Nyx nodded. “I know. I wouldn’t either.”
“Look, I’m sure you’re a good kid and all that, but you will never be good enough for my daughter.”
“I know. Your daughter deserves better,” Nyx said. “She’s amazing, in case you didn’t know. She’s the best person I have ever met in my life, and it is an honor to know her, even if it is only for a short while. I know you don’t like me, and there is little I can do to change your mind or your opinion of me, but I just wanted you to know that I would do anything to make sure Romi is happy.”
Henry nodded tightly and cleared his throat. “Do you know where she might be?”
“I haven’t seen her since this morning at her house. I tried calling her, but she’s not answering,” Nyx answered.
“She was supposed to come to the house. She called me this morning, just after eight—”
“That was when I left.”
Henry lowered his voice, obviously calming down. “She told me she wanted to talk to me. She sounded upset, but trying to hide it, you know.”
Nyx nodded wordlessly and walked to the coffee table where his phone rested on the glass tabletop. He dialed Romi’s number and it started to ring.
Henry frowned as he turned to the window.
“What is it?” Nyx asked.
“Do you hear that?”
Nyx joined Henry in front of the window and he lowered his phone away from his ear. “Is that…”
“Romi’s ringtone?” he and Henry asked at the same time.
“Try calling again.”
Nyx did as Henry said and redialed Romi’s number. Sure enough, the sound of her ringtone flowed through the air, and within an instant, both Nyx and Henry dashed out of the apartment, down the spiral staircase, and out the wooden door onto the sidewalk. It was a quiet street, without a lot of foot traffic, so it was easy for them to figure out where the sound was coming from. They followed it to a large dumpster in a concealed exit of a building and Nyx reached over and opened the lid. The pungent smell of garbage filled both their nostrils and Henry took a step toward it. He stepped up onto the low wall beside it and peered inside.
“There’s no body,” Nyx pointed out and Henry glared at him with disapproval on his face.
“Are you insinuating my daughter is dead?”
“I was just saying, okay?” Nyx retorted. “It could have been much worse. Do you see anything?”
“I see the phone,” Henry answered, and after he looked around him to check if the coast was clear, his palm glowed and the phone floated right into his hand. Henry climbed down and turned to Nyx.
“That’s her phone, alright,” Nyx answered and reached out to take it.
; Henry narrowed his eyes indignantly and swiped on the screen. “It’s locked.”
“And only one of us knows the passcode,” Nyx said smugly as he took the phone from Henry. He typed in the passcode and scrolled through her folders, her call log, her messages, her photos, anything that could indicate where she went, or why she just vanished.
His own phone suddenly started to ring, causing Nyx to almost drop Romi’s phone. After retrieving it from his pocket, he glanced at it for a moment. An unknown number flashed on the screen, and Nyx couldn't help but wonder if it was the same unknown number that had called him a few days earlier.
“Answer the damn phone,” Henry muttered.
“Hello?” Nyx said tightly as he answered.
“Nyxon Veskovic. How are you?”
Nyx’s blood froze in his veins and his eyes darkened. He recognized the voice immediately. “Hello, Flint.”
“How’s it going, buddy? It’s been so long.”
“This is not a good time right now,” Nyx gritted his teeth.
“Oh, I think it’s a perfect time. I was just having a little discussion with your girl, you know, the little witch with the bright blue eyes and the red hair. She’s beautiful.”
“What have you done with her?” Nyx hissed. “If you lay one finger on her—”
“She’s quite safe, unless she decides not to cooperate.”
“I swear to the gods, Flint, I will rip you to shreds if you hurt her.”
“Hurt her,” Flint cackled. “You make me sound like a monster.”
“I’ve known you long enough to know that is exactly what you are.”
Flint’s evil laugh made Nyx cringe and he said, “I won’t kill her, don’t worry. She’s much too valuable for that.”
“I want proof. I want to know that she’s alive,” Nyx insisted.
“Fine,” Flint growled and there were shuffling noises on the other end of the phone. “It’s your boyfriend.”
“Nyx?” Romi’s voice sounded desperate, and hoarse.
“Yeah, it’s me. Are you okay?”
