Daughter of Nyx (Book Three)

Chapter Seventeen

Slowly, she came out of a dream of paradise. Those she cared for were safe and the night sky remained beautiful.

There was a weight on her stomach and she opened her eyes. An arm as pale as her was wrapped around her waist, fingers softly curled against her stomach. A stomach he had cut and healed.

The sun must still be up, else he would be awake.

She remembered telling him in the early morning that she didn't want to be alone. And he kept her with him.

But now, now she needed a moment.

Slipping out from under his arm wasn't easy, but she managed to let him sleep.

She touched the fabric of the night gown he had dressed her in, a smile touching the corner of her mouth. It was a touching gesture.

Feet silent on the thick carpet, she eased out of the room to be greeted by the sunlight streaming in the window over the stairs. Everyone would be asleep, besides Trey. Though, it was possible he had acclimated to their schedule by now. Not that she minded being around him, she craved some time for herself. Coffee and the gazebo and a moment to breathe.

It was only a few minutes later and she had that.

Sitting on the wooden bench, the late afternoon sunlight touching her skin, she realized that she wouldn't feel it much longer. Not if... when...she carried through with her plans. No more sunsets. Sunrises. Not for an extraordinarily long time and it was so hard to wrap her head around that.

How old was Draven that he could stand in the rays of the sunrise and save two who shared her heart?

While she knew more of Draven then the others, it was the same of his knowledge of her.

Next to nothing.

Only that his life was hell.

She twisted on the bench, stretching her legs out, feeling the last bit of heat touch her toes.

The two that shared her heart. The two she almost lost, again.

Even if she was able to pay Draven for her death, would she be strong enough to follow through on her plans? Would their special bullets hurt her like they did her lovers? Would the nightmare of her reality ever give way to the paradise of her dreams?

Once again, she felt his presence, her whole being knowing where he was and she understood Elliot when he said that every fiber of him was aware of her.

She didn't say anything, just lay back and rested her head on his leg. The stars were beginning to come out and this wasn't the nightmare. This was the paradise.

He said nothing, just ran his fingers through her hair, looking up into the same evening sky.

She smiled as a bright line ran south over the city. "Before you were taken, did you ever wish on the stars? Or is that a modern thing?" she asked softly.

"Stars were revered and to see one fall was usually met with sadness. Do you?"

"Mhmm. It's silly and childish, I know. I knew it as a child. Falling stars were comets and asteroids, burning in the atmosphere. But to me, there was always something magical and mystical about them. Where did they come from? How many hundreds of millions of light years did they travel, only to die when they reached this place. It's seemed...wrong to let their death be in vain. And so, even knowing it was a ridiculous whimsy, I always did. And do."

"What did you wish for tonight?"

She tilted her head, looking up into his eyes. "I wish could have been noble and wished for world peace. Given the wish for all of humanity. But I confess, I wished for me. I wished for this nightmare to end and for all of us to be safe and happy." Looking back at the sky, she fell silent again.