The Fugitive - Chapter 177

Nyx arrived inside Khaos’ quarters and glared at the multiple women waiting for him on his bed. At her sudden appearance, they scattered, leaving through the heavily guarded double doors. The guards burst inside then stopped in their tracks at the sudden appearance of the goddess. Usually, only she was allowed in her father’s quarters, but it seemed he’d started allowing his ‘toys’ to stay there unless they bribed the guards?

It was no concern of hers at the moment. Nyx had more significant issues to handle and wanted them sorted before Gabriel was to leave for the underworld. She sighed into her hands and sauntered over to the large, cushioned area where Khaos usually chilled. With one leg extended forwards, relaxed on one of the steps, she rested her back into the cushions, removing her crown and staring at it.

“So, this is where my lovely daughter is hiding,” Khaos’ voice resounded in the room before he materialised next to her. He was staring to the right, where the archway of his chambers overlooked the dark waters of the lake. “Why are you not at the banquet?” He turned to look at her, his brow raised.

“You know why. It is a celebration for a forced engagement,” Nyx replied, rubbing her thumb against the golden leaves of the crown, looking at her distorted reflection.

“Nyx..” Khaos walked towards her and sat down elegantly, taking her crown from her fingers, so he had her attention. Nyx looked up at him, her eyes revealing the betrayal she felt from her father and friend. “I thought you might be happy with Erebus. You’ve always been together, and I saw a growing fondness between you two. Arranged marriages aren’t always passionate and romantic, but with Erebus, there would at least be familiarity.” His slender fingers reached out and placed her hair behind her ear. “Nyx.. this is for your own good.”

Nyx scoffed and looked away. “You say it is for my own good, but you haven’t asked me, father. Why were you giving me the choice in the first place, allowing me that freedom if you were just going to do this? I do not want this,” She urged him, pleading with her eyes. But he looked away with confliction in his own eyes.

“Nyx.. Times are changing, and I won’t always be here to protect you; I need you to be with someone powerful. Erebus is that someone I know I can count on him. This.. lover..” He trailed off, looking back at her. “What can he offer me? What can he offer you?”

Nyx turned to him and grabbed his hands. “Father.. Gabriel is a prince of the underworld. He may not be as powerful as Erebus, but we can make an alliance one that would make others tremble in fear. Who would dare go up against us? Not that the do now-”

“That only strengthens Hades’ power over the other deities. We gain nothing from it,” Khaos replied with a sigh. “Gabriel isn’t even the crown prince; he won’t be next in line to the underworld. Nyx.. you and Gabriel..”

“I love him,” Nyx admitted holding her father’s gaze, but he broke it, looking away.

“Love.. it is nothing more than an illusion. Nyx, I will not allow it. Gabriel will be your downfall.. I..” Khaos sighed and placed the crown in her hands again. “The moirai already claimed it so. I will not lose my only daughter because of some weak god.” He stood up as if dismissing the conversation and turned away, his long straight hair flicking behind him.

“I’m not your only daughter..” Nyx murmured, feeling bad for her sister.

Khaos waved his hand. “Eh.. She’s a bit of a pushover.”

Nyx didn’t bother to reply, his favouritism was known to others, and it was apparent why her temperament was similar to his, and she didn’t care about her bad reputation. In fact, she preferred it; others stayed away from her, unlike her sister, who was gentle in nature and liked the worship of humans. Yet her mind was not thinking of the obvious but of what her father just said; he’d met with the fates, and they told him of her future.

“So, you knew about Gabriel and me?” Nyx murmured though she knew his answer.

“I knew the moment you were born what the fates had destined for you. Love will be your downfall. Over the years of you turning men down and taking only lovers, I presumed they had it wrong. But then.. I saw the way you looked at each other. You.. and the prince of the underworld.. It cannot happen,” Khaos said quietly; his voice was filled with something she’d never thought her father had the emotional ability to have – sadness.

His back was still to her, but a mirror revealed his side profile. His thick brows were pulled together, lips thin, and dark eyes were emotional. Nyx looked down, her grip tightening on the crown. The moirai were never wrong, and she knew her father was doing this to keep his daughter safe. She stood up and walked to Khaos hugging his side; at first, his arms were raised, and he looked at her questionably, they weren’t the hugging type, but then he put his arms around her and tightened his hold over her back.

“I do not want to live a life of regret. If it shortens my life, so be it, but it is my choice, my destiny. Why would I be with another when my soul already belongs to Gabriel. I love him, father. I could live a long life, but I will be miserable, or I take this chance at true happiness, and it will be the best moments of my entire being,” Nyx whispered, looking up at her father and almost choking from how tight he held her now.

Khaos rested his chin on top of hers. “Since when did you become so smart? I do not like it.. Can’t you just marry Erebus and have many lovers?” He grumbled though she could hear the emotion in his voice.

“Do you really think Erebus would let me have lovers?” Nyx chuckled, but there was no humour to it. “And I’ve always been smart.. You’ve just never had me as an enemy before.”

Khaos chuckled; his chest rumbled from it. “You will never be my enemy. But I will never agree to your partnership with Gabriel, I have already told you. I will make it hard for you to resist..”

Nyx tensed at his words. She didn’t want to go against her father, he was formidable, but she couldn’t deny herself of Gabriel. Whether that made her a fool or not, she would go against the fates and prove them all wrong.

“Everyone knows I do not have a weakness..” Khaos continued, then pulled away from her so he could face her. “But Nyx, you ARE my only weakness.”

Did he not care if his other sons and daughter died? That was a little harsh, but she felt flattered that she was the almighty, Khaos’ weakness out of everything. Although it would never be known to anyone unless this was why Erebus was now coming forwards?

“No matter what happens.. I love you, papa,” Nyx whispered and smiled softly.

“We’re getting too soppy now..” Khaos sniffled and looked away before shaking his shoulders. “But te quoque amo.”

Nyx sighed and started letting the side of her face break away into black dust that blew away with the gentle breeze until her body dissolved and Khaos’ arms went slack. She hid in the shadows of the night until she solidified next to Gabriel in the open in front of the lake and the mountains looming over them. It had become their meeting spot, the silence and gentleness of their surroundings becoming their sanctuary. If he was not here, she would have gone back to her chambers, where their second meeting spot was.

“Kairos said you had a difficult time with Erebus. Though he could not see what was happening, he could hear your conversation,” Gabriel said without looking at her. He was staring at the lake, his hands clasped behind his back, the long strands of his hair blowing back revealing the sharpness of his jaw and the tightness in his lips. He was not happy.

Nyx turned to him and placed her hands on his chest. Still, he overlooked the lake, not looking down at her. “This changes nothing. I will marry you,” Nyx said, sliding her hands up his chest and clasping them behind his neck.

“Erebus will not let this go, Nyx,” Gabriel replied; his voice was flat and emotionless, making her frown and stare at his features harder. She could feel her heart twisting at the look on his face. He was backing away from this. No, he couldn’t not after their morning together, not after he proposed. Gabriel wasn’t the type to run away after one mishap or even three; he proved how he felt to her time and time again.

Her eyes flicked across his, and she grit her teeth together when she realised his usually crystal blue eyes were darker and almost vacant looking. “Did you think you could fool me, Erebus?” She whispered, making Gabriel flick his gaze down to her and a cruel smirk grew on his lips.

“You were fooled for a moment,” Gabriel replied darkly. Nyx dug her nails into the back of his neck and inhaled deeply, calling upon her powers. She watched as her muscles tensed on, trying to pull Erebus’ control on Gabriel’s mind. She could feel her invisible fingers going into his mind and grabbing onto this slippery, dark, gooey paste that was spreading and trying to disappear from her reach. But she dug her nails in, holding it down and started to pull on it. It was tight around Gabriel’s mind, and she fought against its strength.

Sweat started to bead at her forehead as she glared at Gabriel, but it wasn’t he who she was glaring at but Erebus. Gabriel clicked his tongue. “Have him. But just remember how easy it was for me to crawl my way into his mind.” And like that, Gabriel gasped, and his eyes lightened. “Nyx!” He placed his hands on her cheeks, searching her eyes. “We need to go. We need to go now!”

There he was. She sighed in relief though her chest tightened at the idea of Erebus getting into Gabriel’s mind. “Will you be safe there?” Nyx asked; it wasn’t her safety she was concerned about, which was written all over Gabriel’s features, but his. Erebus wouldn’t hurt her, but he could do anything to Gabriel.

“Yes, we both will be. Come with me,” Gabriel leaned his head against hers. “We will get through this.. I promise.”