Page 51 of What Lies Beyond the Realms

“Very funny. I told you I’m not a huge fan of the snow or the cold. That’s why I like living in the jungle.”

“Let’s play a game,” I say to him, grabbing the bottle of whiskey and bringing it over to the ledge next to us.

“What kind of game do you have in mind, Princess?” Nyx tugs me closer to him so I’m standing between his legs, and he’s sitting on the bench.

“How about we take turns asking each other questions? If you choose to answer, you have to answer honestly. If you don’t want to answer, you have to take a drink of whiskey.”

I raise my brow and let my arms fall next to me, running my fingertips along his muscled thighs.

“It sounds like you’re trying to get me drunk so you can have your way with me.” He smirks.

“Who me? I’m just an innocent young girl. I’d never . . .” I can’t help but laugh. “You’ll only get drunk if you’re not forthcoming.” This time I wink at him, and he smiles.

“Okay, you’re on, Lewis. Ladies first?” He takes the bait, and now I need to rack my brain. I know there’s a million things I want to ask him, but I’m suddenly drawing a blank. I must make my questions count.

“Have you ever been in love?” I ask even though I’m afraid of the answer.

“No.”

“Why not?” It seems odd for someone so old to have never been in love.

“Let’s just say I’ve been waiting for the right person. Now that was two questions. I’ll let it slide this time.” Nyx flashes a furtive grin, and I can’t help the fluttering feeling that starts in my chest.

“Have you ever been intimate with someone?” he asks.

I look away, not wanting to entertain his question or risk facing the onslaught of inquiries that could follow. I quickly seize the whiskey, offer him a sheepish grin, and down the fiery liquid. Thank the gods for the rules. He regards me with a doubtful expression but refrains from further interrogation. Now it's my turn to ask a question.

“How powerful are you exactly?”

“Well, I’m the most powerful Faery alive today,” he tells me, and I instantly have multiple follow-up questions. But I just wait for him to take his turn, filing my questions away for later.

“What do you want out of life?”

For a moment, I’m caught off guard, and I’m not sure how to answer his question. It’s not that I don’t have dreams or desires, but they always seem so far out of reach, like wispy clouds on the horizon. The question of what I want out of life feels like an invitation to confess my deepest, most secret wishes.

I laugh nervously, feeling a bit foolish. But as I look into his eyes, something stirs inside of me. They are the kindest eyes I’ve ever seen, warm and gentle, with a playful glint to them and I can tell that he genuinely wants to know. He’s listening to me so intently, as if what I have to say truly matters.

“I want to be free,” I begin, my voice barely above a whisper. “I want to break free from the chains that bind me, the fears and doubts that hold me back. I want to experience life fully, to take risks and explore new things. I want to fall in love and start a family someday, to build a home and a life for myself.”

As I speak, I feel a warmth spreading through my chest. These are the things that I’ve always longed for, but never dared to say out loud. But now, with him listening, I feel emboldened. “I dream of living on a farm, surrounded by animals, and taking care of those who cannot care for themselves. I want to help heal the world, in my own small way. I want to make a difference.”

As the words spill out, I can feel my heart racing. This is the first time I've ever truly spoken about my deepest desires, the things that used to keep me up at night. But as I look at him, I know that I've found someone who understands. Someone who sees the world in the same way that I do.

“My turn,” I exclaim before he can comment about what I divulged. “You say you’re the most powerful Faery alive today. Who is more powerful than you if not a Fae? Also, have you always been this powerful? Were you born with all your power?”

He plants his lips in a flat line. “That’s like ten questions, but I’ll do my best to appease you.” Nyx leans forward, his eyes focused and intense as he speaks. "I say I'm the most powerful Fae because it's not easy to gauge the power of the other realms," he explains. "Aidan, for example, is an older Lycan with pure brute strength. That alone may not make him the most powerful, but the force of all the packs behind him is not something to scoff at. Drew, on the other hand, is the leader of the Lamia, and the Lamia have always been a bit mysterious. I know she's powerful, but the extent of her power remains unknown to me, and honestly I hope I never have to find out. As for Samael, he could become incredibly powerful if he ever learns to harness his magic properly. He's always been known as a powerful Sorcerer, and if he does find the spell he's looking for in the grimoires to make his magic dark, I don't know what that would do to his powers."

Nyx pauses for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "He's also the only child of Silas, which means that when Silas passed Samael would have inherited some of his power," he continues. "When a parent passes, the power always goes to the oldest child, but not always all of it. It's just random what one gets." He leans back, his gaze never leaving mine.

"As for your other question," Nyx says, his voice softening, "I was born with my power. I was always very powerful growing up, but when my parents passed I inherited all of my father's power and a sliver of my mother's power, making me the strongest Fae alive today."

“What do you think will happen with my magic? I often wonder what my powers will look like when I turn nineteen. If I’m being honest, I’m also a bit afraid of what my magic will be like.”

What if my magic is dark?

He takes pity on me. “You are a bit of a conundrum. You’re half Fae, which means I would expect you to have been born with some magic inside you. Not to mention I would have expected some of your father’s powers to have manifested inside of you after he died. We know you inherited midnight mind, but maybe the rest was such a small amount it went unnoticed. Since your mother was a Sorceress I imagine you’ll gain some or all of her power when you turn nineteen and your magic comes to life. Now it's my turn. This time I’m just taking a drink because I’m thirsty,” he says grabbing the bottle and taking a swig. “Has anyone other than Samael hurt you?”

The question puts a knot in my stomach. “Yes,” I answer simply, and it looks like he clenches his jaw but doesn’t press for more information.