Page 73 of Nyx
“You might as well have.”
Ronan’s eyes shoot to mine for support, like he thinks I’ll back him up in this fight and tell Nyx to stay. Part of me wants to… hells, most of me does. A giant piece of me is dying to bundle him up and keep him safe… wrap him up in blankets, feed him snacks, and just spoil him until he forgets he wanted to do this. But his choices matter more than mine, and I’ll never steal those.
“It would be safer if a group of us were to go,” I say, and Ronan’s eyes flare before they narrow. Something tells me I’m going to pay for the betrayal. “If Nyx says he can take us there, I believe him. Itrusthim.”
“Oh, you littleshit,” Ronan snarls. “Don’t put words in my mouth. It’s not that I don’t trust him—”
“He has a voice,” I interrupt, putting more volume behind it than I intend, and for once, Ronan shuts up. “If he says he wants to do this, neither of us has the right to tell him no. It isn’t our place to decide for him.”
Ronan fumes for a few long, tense moments, but Nyx grabs him by the hem of his shirt. He rubs the fabric between his fingers like I’ve seen him do for comfort so many times, and Ronan’s face is infinitely softer as he glances down at him.
“You have always looked out for me, Ronan. I say you are not my parent, but youaremy brother. Big brother. Protective.” Nyx huffs a rueful laugh. The innocent act has vanished, and I can tell these words are sincere. “You gave me freedom, and made sure I was safe. You have never asked me for anything in return.”
“That wasn’t why I helped, and I never wanted anything from you.” Ronan’s voice is suspiciously thick as hestares at those delicate green fingers on his shirt. Nyx used to duck away in fear when he touched someone, when his mind still connected touch to punishment. Ronan was devastated when it happened to him.
“And I have never had anything to give,” Nyx counters. “Not until now. Before, I was too weak. When I said I could show you, it terrified me just to say those words out loud.”
“I know it did,” Ronan says gently.
“Now, I am stronger. Maybe not perfect. I am still scared, but I have a way to help. To give back. Don’t ask me to ignore that.”
“Where is the closest rift to here?” I ask, and Nyx drops Ronan’s shirt as he turns to me. Ronan stares down at the spot where Nyx held on to him for a long time, even as Nyx answers.
“The camp where they found me.”
“No,” Ronan snarls, whipping his head up with an expression that shifts between fury and horror. “Absolutely not. I will not take you back to that place.”
“It is the best option,” Nyx responds.
Ronan looks like he’s going to pop a vein in his forehead, so I speak up before he can start shouting. “Why don’t we talk to everyone else about it at dinner tonight? That would give them a chance to voice their opinions—”
“Fuck their opinions,” Ronan spits, but I just roll my eyes at his dramatics.
“—and make a plan. If we travel in a group, and if we’re careful, we should be safe.”
“Shouldis the key word here, Reyes.”
“Safety is never a guarantee in this life,” I argue. “Someone could find this place as easily as we could be attacked on the road. You would keep us holed up here while the rest of the world goes to shit. Why? Because you’re afraid?”
“Yes!” Ronan shouts, and Nyx startles at the noise and darts to my side to grab my hand. “Gods,” Ronan mutters, dragging his hand over his face. “Now you’ve made me scare Nyx.”
“Yes, that was so clearly my fault,” I deadpan, and Nyx huffs a quiet laugh beside me as his fingers squeeze mine. “He won’t break, Ronan. He’s stronger than you think.”
Ronan groans, long and drawn out, and oh so dramatic, until he finally snaps. “Fine. We’ll discuss this at dinner. But if this is how you want to do it? Turn this into some sort of group vote? That’s the final word. What they say goes, and there’s no more arguing.”
Nyx
“Ithinkit’sagood idea,” August says from his spot across the circle.
“Of course you do.” Ronan jabs his fork in August’s direction. “Fucking bleeding heart—”
“Watch it,” Elas growls, and Ronan clamps his mouth shut even though he continues to glare. His face contorts as if he’s actually biting his tongue to keep from arguing.
“I’m with August.” Taryn purses her lips and taps her chin thoughtfully. “Right now, we’re blind to what’s happening out there, and have no idea what the future might bring. This is our only advantage.”
“We could travel in a group to make it safer,” Elas adds, although he’s still locked in a glare-off with Ronan. Reyes hums next to me, and it’s an awfully smug sound.
“Funny,” he says while inspecting his fingernails and refusing to look at Ronan, “I said the same thing.”
