By the time she arrived back at the Umber, the sun was nearly a third of the way in the sky. She hadn't screamed, but she did feel a little more at ease with the decisions running through her head.
It was once she reached the edge of the Umber, though, that she realized she probably should have told Lex where she was going.
Because Lex's knife was pointed beneath Nadir's chin, and she had his throat in her hand.
"Hey—HEY!" Nyssa bolted towards them, just in time to hear Lex shouting in his face that he was an idiot and asking if he'd run her off or broken her heart.
"LEX!" Nyssa shouted.
Lex finally saw her, and she released Nadir with a jolt. He barely wavered off-balance, hand coming up to rub his throat as he met Nyssa's gaze. Her heart broke at seeing him that morning. The once over he gave her was brief, as was his solemn nod before he turned on his heel.
Nyssa didn't have time to let her sorrow get to her, for Lex was marching across the sand with a scowl more fierce than Nyssa had ever seen of the Second Sun.
Lex’s hand seared backward across Nyssa's face.
"Where theInfihave you been?" Lex shouted.
Nyssa nearly fell to the ground.
"I've been looking for over an hour!" Lex continued. "Do you realize something could have taken you? What happened? Did he do something to you?"
Shaking, Nyssa’s hand pressed to her bleeding cheek. The sting of Aydra's ring cutting her flesh enraged her, and Nyssa rolled her eyes to meet Lex’s.
"You thinkhedid something to me?" Nyssa seethed. “No. You will leave him out of this. Nadir has been nothing short of perfect since we've arrived. Do not bring him into any of this. I went on a run to clear my head—“
"Don't youeverdo that again!"
"I am not a prisoner here," Nyssa affirmed.
"No, you are not, but you are to tell me where you are going."
"I don't need a sitter."
"I am your Second," Lex growled. "It is my duty to protect you, and I will not lose you too, Nyssari."
The words made Nyssa's chin rise. Numbness took over her body. She watched Lex grab the same bamboo spears she and Nadir had used the night before, and then she tossed her one.
Nyssa caught it, gripping it tight in her fingers for a moment as Lex began to walk around her. Nyssa’s insides trembled with rage. Words of anger and doubt dripped through her deteriorating mind.
The blood continued to trickle down her cheek.
And Nyssa didn't tell herself to breathe.
"Defend yourself."
Lex lunged.
Nyssa pushed her feet deeper into the sand to set herself and struck back at the blow Lex had taken. Lex’s stick whirled and met her again, nearly hitting her thigh, but Nyssa blocked. The rod whipped over Lex’s head, and Nyssa jumped as it swept towards her calves and then under her feet.
Nyssa met the ground in a kneel and dragged the stick behind Lex's legs— the move Nadir had taught her. Lex landed on her back, and Nyssa stood to glare over her.
"Are you actually concerned about me, or is this just you not wanting to fail in the task my sister sodesperatelygave you?"
The tone came darker than she'd intended it to. Lex stiffened on the ground, hair falling into her eyes.
"I strongly encourage you to think through what you're about to say, Princess," Lex warned as she brought herself to her feet.
Nyssa set up again. How her rage had gotten stronger, she didn’t know. But she couldn’t breathe, and her teeth felt like someone was compressing them together.
