"Yes," Nyx teases, "who is going to cuddle me all night long?"
"Ronan?" Finn suggests, biting into a cookie he swipes from the dining room table with a crooked grin.
Nyx points at him. "Maybe I should cuddle you, Finnigan."
"I am an excellent cuddler." Finn agrees without missing a beat and it draws a snicker from me.
"It's no fun if you play along," Nyx groans, tossing an arm around Ronan's shoulders. "You staying here tonight?"
Ronan shrugs him off, "Not tonight. I told Viella I would stop by her place after dinner."
Eris and I smile at each other.
"Oh, stop looking at me like that," Ronan catches our exchange. "I'm lucky she didn't slap me when I asked her to marry me on our first date."
"So," Nyx drawls. "Everyone really is coupling up."
There's a sadness in his voice that breaks my heart.
Eris releases Finn's arm to squeeze Nyx's. "You'll find someone to settle down with too. It takes time."
As quick as the sadness flares in his face, it's replaced by Nyx'sI'm-fine-don't-worry-about-memask. "Me? Settle down? Not likely. I'm not sure a woman exists that can change my mind."
Eris wags a motherly finger at him. "And that right there, is the kiss of death. She exists. You haven't found her yet."
"You sound so certain." He shakes his head with a laugh. "Love has changed you, Eris Talay. Apparently, you can see into the future."
Eris huffs, a frown marring her face. "I bet she'll be more stubborn than you."
"Now you're just being ridiculous," he huffs in return. "There's no one more stubborn than Nyx Harland."
"We'll see." She winks at him, reclaiming Finn's arm. "Goodnight, Nyx. Goodnight, Ronan."
Atlas gently tugs my hand, drawing my gaze from Nyx. "Ready?"
I nod and follow up upstairs to our bedroom. Once the door is closed, I expect his hands to be all over me. He loves when I wear dresses. But when I turn my back to him for him to help me out, the aid doesn't come. I furrow my brow and look over my shoulder at him. He's still by the door, his hands clasped behind him.
"What's wrong?"
"If Ronan wasn't here, would you have told me about Astrea Talay?"
Sometimes I'm convinced he can read my thoughts but has kept that magic a secret from everyone.
"I don't have the energy for an argument tonight, Atlas."
"Then don't argue with me. Don't dodge my questions." He steps forward. "Have a conversation with me, even if it's uncomfortable."
Bottling up my emotions and keeping my thoughts to myself have been the pillars of my upbringing. I understand how unhealthy that is but I'm afraid if I share everything with Atlas, one day he'll realize I'm too much for him to handle and he'll leave.
"You promised you wouldn't run anymore," he says gently, coaxing me to open up. "I'm not going anywhere, Shaye. I'm here. I love you."
"But?" I sense it on his lips. Might as well get the painful part over with.
"But," he picks up, "I can't help you or properly protect you if I'm working with an incomplete puzzle. Talk to me,Strenlys."
I swallow hard, stifling the anxiety bubbling in my chest. "I'm not sure if I would have told you about Astrea Talay or not. Not because I don't trust you, but because part of me believes she has a valid point."
"Valid or not, it's ridiculous." His hands find purchase on my hips. "You are the key to winning this war, not preventing it. Whether through your blood or another means, the demons will find a way to open the portal and release their master. That is their sole purpose."
