Two weeks passed, and Nova turned from curious to feral. Okay, maybe not feral, Feyre thought to herself as she walked into the living room, but very high energy. For the last few days, she, Rhys, and Nova stayed in the townhouse while everyone else worked on rebuilding Velaris. She and Rhys would occasionally take turns visiting the city, but they never left Nova alone.
For obvious reasons.
Yesterday, Rhys found Nova in the kitchen. She'd dumped entire bags of flour and sugar on the floor and eaten raw eggs while sitting in the mixture. The day before that, Feyre had caught her red-handed, literally, in her art room. She'd emptied every jar and tube of paint. Luckily, she hadn't yet smeared it all over the canvases she'd already finished before their capture.
In ways, Nova was very much like a toddler. She did things to see what would happen when she did it. As Rhys had said, she was learning from her new environment. Feyre would admit, however, that she did learn from her mistakes. After Feyre left her art room with red eyes, Nova followed her. She'd tracked paint across the floor with her bare feet, offering the crushed tubes with remorseful eyes. Then, together, they'd cleaned the art room and admired the paintings on the walls. She was particularly drawn to a painting of a fox in a winter setting of snow and ice. Feyre would often find Nova sitting on the floor in the art room, staring at the painting.
Today, Rhys, Mor, Cas, and Az sat in the living room, staring at the ceiling. Feyre followed their gaze, and her eyes widened, gasping softly. Nova, who she thought was in her room, hung upside down from the ceiling rafters.
"How did she…"
"I have no idea." Rhys grinned as Cas tossed something up to her, which she caught in her mouth and chewed with ease.
Feyre looked down at the bowl in his lap- blackberries. She'd expanded her palate over the past few days and had begun eating more bread and cheese. Berries, though, were her favorite. Without fear, Nova pulled herself up, rotated on the beam, and swung back down just in time to catch another blackberry.
Cas chuckled. "Well, we won't have to work on core strength."
Smiling, Feyre sat down and pulled Rhys' arm over her shoulder, snuggling against his side.
"I know she's used her powers before, but do you think she's ever done anything else?"
"Like…fly?" Rhys asked, and Feyre nodded.
"If she hasn't shown us she can yet, she probably hasn't discovered it. Though she is a risk taker, teaching her wouldn't take much."
Mor frowned. "You know what Madja said. No fighting, no flying."
"I understand that," Rhys' jaw clicked, "but what if there comes a time very soon that she needs those skills? We trained Feyre quickly for the same reasons. We can't leave her defenseless."
Everyone was quiet, the only sound coming from Nova above, who seemed to be humming. It sounded more like a dove cooing or an owl.
"Madja said to wait until she's had time to adjust and starts understanding what we say," Feyre nodded slowly, "so if we work on her language, maybe we can teach her those skills sooner? She's already learned what her name is…and I think she understands no and stop," Feyre cringed; they've had to say those words often, "there has to be something else we can do to help her learn."
"Yes, but it only really works if she's willing to try," Rhys smirked, "you learned to read so quickly because you wanted to practice. I don't think Nova has any interest in conversation yet."
Nodding, Feyre leaned her head back and sighed. Maybe it would have to be a waiting game. A waiting game riddled with anxiety. Yes, they had new protections, but it would only be a matter of time before the outside world knew the truth. They'd escaped Hybern, and it was a miracle they hadn't come for them yet. Something was brewing, and Nova would be caught in the middle.
When Cassian ran out of blackberries, Nova huffed in disappointment before she grabbed the beam and unhooked her knees. Everyone stiffened, ready to rush to help her, but she dropped from the high ceiling, landing with effortless ease. Feyre released her breath and smiled.
"By the way," Rhys started as Nova took her seat on the carpet in front of the fire, "I'm taking Feyre away to the cabin this evening…"
"Oh, are you?" Feyre raised a brow.
"Mmhm…" Rhys smirked. "We'll need at least one person to be here so Nova isn't alone."
Cassian grinned. "Say no more. I'll keep an eye on her."
"No training," Feyre warned before looking over at Az, who nodded with a smile, signaling he would be here too and make sure Nova wasn't taught how to slice down the enemy with a single slice of a sword. Not yet.
She'll be fine. Rhys' voice caressed her mind.
Feyre smiled softly. I know, I'll worry no matter what.
I've not fucked you properly for fifteen years. I plan to change that tonight.
Feyre swallowed hard and knew all too well that she needed to get out of the room before someone could comment on the sudden flood of arousal she felt. Merely smirking, Rhys slid his arm around her waist, and they disappeared from the couch. Cas chuckled, looking over the spot they'd once been and then at Nova, who was, for some reason, separating lentils into little piles on the carpet.
"Looks like it's just the four of us kid."
"Actually," Mor stood, "I have a date, but I'm sure you'll both be fine."
Cas and Az exchanged a look and nodded. "Of course, we'll be fine; she can't be that much trouble."
Mor gave him an incredulous look. "She's Feyre and Rhysand's offspring. Think about that before deciding if you should let your guard down." As she closed the door on her way out, Nova looked up from her piles and frowned. It seemed she'd just noticed Feyre and Rhys were gone. She whipped her head around.
"I think she's looking for them…" Azriel pursed his lips.
Cas frowned and nodded. "Well, we'll just need to entertain her so she doesn't have time to miss them." With a smooth movement, Cas crossed the room and picked up the chessboard. He returned it to the carpet and set it in front of Nova. He sat cross-legged on the ground across from her. He smirked at Azriel's expression.
"Oh, come on. They said no fighting, no flying. This is neither. We can still teach her skills without resulting in harm. Are you going to help her critical thinking skills or not?"
Nova picked up one of the Knights.
"That goes right here," Cassian pointed to the board, then reached for the Knight when she didn't put it in the spot but quickly pulled it out of his reach. "Nova," he frowned, "look, it's Chess. It's a game. Watch."
He moved one of the pawns. "See?"
Nova took the pawn he had moved and hugged it.
"No, that's…"
She pulled the pieces from his reach again and scowled.
Az smirked as he leaned back into the couch. "Good luck with that."
Feyre sighed as they winnowed into the townhouse. Yes, a sigh of satisfaction, but also of pure joy knowing Nova would be there. It still seemed like a fever dream, yet it was their reality. A wonderful reality. Feyre stopped mid-step, arm hooked through Rhys' arm, arching a brow at the sight before them. The sitting area had been converted into, well…she couldn't tell. The furniture, blankets, and pillows were stacked with chaotic precision.
Popping his head from one side of the structure, Cassian said, "We made a fort."
Nova, who was in the center of it, pushed her head through a couple of couch cushions and…grinned. It was the first smile Feyre had ever seen her wear, and it was one of pure delight as she looked up at them.
Grinning back, Feyre moved forward. "Well, may we enter?"
Nova ducked back under the cushions, disappearing through the fabric.
With a chuckle, Rhys squeezed Feyre's elbow. "I think that's a yes." He matched her smile and together they crawled through the dining chairs and into the tented area. It was filled with more pillows and blankets, with Cassian and Azriel leaning against the more solid sides as Nova commanded the center space.
"She noticed you were gone immediately after you left," Azriel said softly, glancing over at them, "she looked for both of you."
Nova had…missed them. A wave of new heat touched behind Feyre's eyes as she smiled, sitting down in the crouched space next to Rhys.
"And you need a new chess board," Cas said, "or really, new pieces. I tried to show her the game, but she took the pieces and hid them. I honestly have no idea where they are."
Feyre smiled and shook her head with fond affection. "Oh, Nova." She murmured.
Nova looked over at her and grinned, then looked back down at the paper she was working on. It seemed they'd traded for a different activity in place of the chess game. She had papers strewn all across the floor of the fort. In her tightly fisted grasp, she was scribbling across the pages in complete wonder when the scrape of the pencil left marks. Some papers had only a few scribbles and were thrown aside, while others covered the entire page. None, however, formed an actual picture of anything.
"When will she be ready to see the city?" Feyre asked, looking up at Rhys, watching Nova with a soft, proud smile.
Cassian answered, "Sometime soon, there will be a party in the streets—a celebration for coming out of hiding."
"Will that be too much for her?" Feyre frowned.
"We won't know unless we try," Rhys nodded, "We need to offer her these moments. Worst case, she can't handle being around that many people, and we take her home."
Taking a deep breath, Feyre nodded. A lot could happen in a week; maybe by then, Nova would be itching to leave the house anyway.
Two days later, Nova was ready to leave the townhouse. Every chance she got, it seemed, she was trying to leave out the front door. Feyre had finally had enough when they caught her climbing onto the roof.
"We'll take her to the house of wind for a family dinner," Rhys suggested that morning with a quick smirk. "It'll give them more time to get to know her and offer her the ability to be around more people in a single setting."
Feyre had agreed, but then the real question was how they would get her there. Fly? Winnow? Walk?
"We could fly," Rhys smiled. "It'll allow us to see how she handles it and if there are any fears we might need to work on for the future."
A rock formed in her stomach as she nodded but didn't respond.
"Hey," Rhys moved before her, "I know it's hard letting her do things that might be deemed dangerous. If she had been with us all this time, this is what she'd have been doing. Honestly, she probably already would have started a long while ago."
"I know, I know…" Feyre frowned, meeting his eyes. "I can't be selfish and delay it. I just…I wish I could reverse time."
Rhys pressed a soft kiss against her forehead. "Me too, but she does need us, you know. We can still be there for her."
Feyre nodded and leaned her head back, smiling softly as he pressed another sweet kiss against her lips.
"Nova," Rhys called for her as they descended the stairs, "It's time to go!"
Nova came bounding from the art room and skidded to a stop, almost colliding with the wall.
Are you sure she's going to want to fly?
It's worth a try.
"Alright, Nova," Rhys offered his arms to her, "the others are already at the House of Wind. We're going to meet them there, but we're going to fly. Okay?"
Nova stared at him and slowly tilted her head to the side. It was clear she understood he was addressing her but had no idea what he'd just said. Rhys had been right, a conversation with their daughter was a long way off.
"Watch." Rhys offered a smile and untucked his wings, letting them spread. He then offered his arm to Feyre, who took it without hesitation. His feet lifted a foot or two off the ground, letting Nova see how his wings carried him. Setting Feyre down gently, he offered his hand to Nova.
"Your turn."
Nova shook her head and took a step back. The grin she'd been wearing was gone, and in its place was a heavy-browed scowl.
Puffing a soft sigh, Rhys nodded with a small, patient smile. "Looks like we're walking."
The walk was nicer than they anticipated. However, with Nova consistently stopping to look at something, it took twice as long. Feyre didn't mind, and she knew Rhys didn't either, as it was a moment to watch Nova explore the world.
"Butterfly." Rhys offered the word when Nova approached the insect, sitting proudly on a flower drinking nectar.
Feyre said, "The butterfly is on a flower." Glancing over at Rhys, he matched her smile. "So the more we talk to her, the more likely she is to talk to us?" Feyre asked.
Rhys nodded. "I think that's a safe bet."
"Are you sure you don't want to fly?" Feyre asked Nova as she looked up the tall, winding stone stairs, but Nova was already running up.
Running.
Where she got her sudden burst of energy, Feyre had no idea. Rhys let out a laugh and ran after her. Feyre's legs burned when they reached the top, holding the stitch in her side. She shook her head and said breathlessly, "She has to be tired by now." But Nova, instead of lying on the grass as Feyre wanted to, was dashing through the open doors of the House of Wind.
"Don't count on it." Rhys chuckled, a hand on the small of her back, but the next voice chilled Feyre's spine.
"What do you think you're doing?" Nesta scolded.
Feyre could see the scowl in her mind already, and they quickly went inside to find Nesta with her hands on her hips, glaring at Nova, who stood before her aunt with a similar expression etched into her features.
"Look," Nesta pointed at the ground. Nova did look, and it seemed she'd tracked dirt, grass, and mud through to the main sitting area.
"Nesta," Feyre moved forward, putting herself between her sister and her daughter, "floors can be cleaned." It was better for her to handle it than Rhys. He may not have been as polite, not when it came to Nova.
Nesta narrowed her eyes. "I'm gathering that you allow her to do anything she likes."
Clenching her jaw, Feyre took a deep breath. "You need to find patience. Just as I'm finding mine right now. Whatever is bothering you about Nova, either speak up or drop it. I won't let her get caught up in whatever bullshit you want to throw." The audience setting the dinner table was silent, but Feyre could feel the weight of their exchanged glances. Nesta didn't say another word before she turned and left, her lilac gown floating as she did.
Taking another painfully deep breath, Feyre turned to Nova and offered her hand. She took her to the bathroom and helped wash the dirt from her bare feet, then gave her a rag to clean the floor where she'd made a mess. Despite what Nesta thought, she and Rhys worked tirelessly to help Nova be responsible and self-sufficient in a home. That included cleaning up her messes, which she made frequently. One thing they wouldn't do was make Nova wear shoes and socks. She chucked them off anyway, and why force it? So be it if she felt more comfortable feeling the ground with her feet. It hurt nothing other than Nesta's ego, which, frankly, could be taken down a few pegs anyway.
Finally, it was time to sit down to dinner. To Feyre's delight, everyone was in attendance. Nova plopped herself next to Cassian, Feyre sitting on her other side and Rhys next to Feyre. Nova grinned at Azriel across from her, and he smiled in return, but Amren, who was to his right, watched Nova with quiet disinterest. Mor, on the other side of Azriel, shook her head and sighed.
"It's been barely three weeks, and she's come so far."
Lucien, next to Elain, smiled. "She doesn't still want my eye, does she?"
Chuckling, Rhys leaned back in his chair. "Oh, I'm sure she has plans. She's a bit of a collector."
Nesta had taken a spot next to Elain but was silent as she speared a sweet potato chunk with her fork.
"Has she been speaking any?" Mor asked curiously before sipping her wine.
Feyre shook her head. "Not yet, but we'll get there." She smiled as Rhys squeezed her knee under the table.
Cassian smiled, offering Nova a roll, and she grabbed it without hesitation. "I take it you didn't fly here."
"We tried," Rhys nodded with a frown, "Maybe another time when we've gained more of her trust."
As they ate, Feyre tried to keep as much conversation going as possible.
"The more she hears us talk, the more she'll start to imitate," Feyre explained. With that, almost everyone began having conversations, and it seemed to be working. Nova was engaged in listening to different people talk. Feyre kept an eye on her. Occasionally, it almost seemed like she would part her lips to say something, but then she would put another piece of bread into her mouth instead. When the dessert came around, Nova's eyes had never been bigger. The chocolate cake certainly looked decadent, and it occurred to Feyre then that she'd never been offered food like this.
"It's chocolate cake." Feyre pointed to the cake, laughing lightly when Nova leaned forward and smelled it, then grinned.
Mor smiled. "Oh, what I'd give to take chocolate cake for the first time again."
Then, without warning, the plate slowly slid away from Nova. Feyre looked up and saw Nesta…pulling the plate to herself, but she wasn't looking at Feyre. Her eyes were locked with Nova's. Feyre opened her mouth to speak, her cheeks suddenly flushed with anger, but Nesta merely held a finger up and continued to watch her niece. The niece sat in her seat with a confused frown, staring back at Nesta.
"You want her to learn to speak?" Nesta asked. "Give her a reason to."
The table was deadly quiet before Rhys finally murmured. "As much as it pains me, I don't disagree…"
Feyre swallowed and locked her jaw but slowly nodded. It was at least worth a try, though it somehow felt wrong. What kind of mother was she to not snatch the plate back and give it to her? She had to stand up for her daughter and fight for her…yet Nova needed to learn to do the same. She needed to learn to fight for herself, too. Still, it sickened her not to intervene. She could only watch it unfold.
Nova frowned and reached for the plate, but Nesta only pulled it further out of reach. With her brows knitted together, Nova looked at Feyre and waited, but Feyre didn't meet her eyes. She took a bite of her own cake, though it tasted bitter on her tongue from the guilt. When she wouldn't meet Nova's eyes, they roamed to Rhys—a silent plea for help to take back the plate that had been hers. But when he followed the same actions as Feyre, she looked elsewhere around the table. Though it was difficult, especially for Cassian and Azriel, as they'd spent more time bonding, they ignored her. Nova's shoulders slowly deflated as she realized no one would look at her.
No one except one person.
Her gaze settled on Nesta, who quirked up a smile. "All you have to do is ask for it back."
Withholding chocolate cake was such a strange exercise—one that Feyre wouldn't have thought would be so devastating. Rhys' throat bobbed, jaw clenched, but made no other sign of discomfort. After five minutes of uncomfortable silence passed, Feyre finally looked at Nova.
"Tell her, Nova," Feyre murmured, pointing at the Nesta and the cake, "you don't have to let people take things from you. Say, 'that's mine.' Tell her."
Nova looked between Feyre and Nesta, and once more, Feyre reached for the cake and prompted. "That's mine."
Slowly, Nova looked at Nesta. The sad glimmer in her eyes was gone as she leaped across the table and slammed her hand down on the cake.
"MINE!"
Every jaw fell in synchrony. The cake frosting had splattered across the table and onto Nesta's cheek, but Nesta was…smiling. Rhys grinned and leaned back in his chair, his shoulders completely relaxed.
"That's my girl."
Nova had taken one bite of the chocolate from her fingers, wrinkled her nose, and Feyre abruptly cleaned off her hand before she could wipe it all over the table. Now, she was fast asleep on the couch in the sitting room. Curled up in a ball, cuddling the blanket Elain had offered her.
"I hate to wake her," Feyre murmured, watching her sleep from her place at the table.
Cassian shrugged, "So don't. We'll be here, and then when she's awake, we'll walk her over."
Pursing her lips, she glanced over at Rhys. "I don't know…"
"She was alright the first time," Rhys murmured. "I imagine she'll be just fine, but we could always stay if you'd prefer."
Chewing her lip, she nodded. "I'd rather be here." The idea of Nova waking up to Nesta as company was a little much. Luckily, she'd already gone to bed. Cleaning up the space and getting ready for bed took only a little time. Soon, the others went to bed, and she and Rhys sat on the couch diagonal to Nova, who still slept soundly. Feyre snuggled against Rhys, smiling as his arms and wings enveloped her in a tight cocoon. Her fingers lightly tickled along the inside of his wing, smiling as he shuddered.
"Feyre…" He warned, but she pressed a soft kiss against his lips, silencing him.
Feyre nearly rolled off the couch, caught at the last moment by Rhys. His eyes were still blurred with sleep. Groaning, she glanced over as the sun slowly rose above the distant mountains. Nesta sat at the table, sipping from a steaming mug. Feyre quickly blinked the sleep from her eyes and sat up. She looked at the couch where Nova had been…had been.
"Where's Nova?" She asked, frantic as she scrambled out of the blanket.
Rhys frowned, suddenly alert as he stood to his feet.
With a roll of her eyes, Nesta sighed. "Calm down. She kept trying to leave the house, so Azriel and Lucien took her down to the beach."
Feyre sucked in a relieved sigh and nodded. She combed her fingers loosely through her hair and without saying a word to each other, she and Rhys winnowed to the beach. The sunrise made the froth and cresting waves glitter like gems. As Nesta had said, Lucien and Az sat on the beach. A decent distance between the two of them, and Nova crawled across the wet sand. She didn't seem to care as salty waves crashed into her- far too focused with her task. Whatever it was. Feyre smiled and lowered herself, sitting down on the sand.
"I suppose she's never seen the ocean before."
Nova looked over at the sound of Feyre's voice and grinned before sprinting toward them. She was fast, faster than Feyre would have thought possible. She slid to a stop in front of them and held her hands out.
Rhys smiled and leaned forward, "What do you have, Nova?" He asked gently, picking each piece up, he gave it a name. "A shell…a shark tooth…a shell…" He put each piece gingerly back into her waiting hands and smiled. Nova couldn't seem to stop smiling as she set her treasured finds on the sand before them. Trusting them to keep them safe before dashing back out to the water and combing through the sand again.
For a long time, they watched her, and every time she brought them things she found, they'd name the items, and the process would repeat.
"I have a feeling we'll be frequenting the beach more." Rhys chuckled, then his jaw dropped, and Feyre quickly followed his gaze.
Feyre felt her breath leave her lungs as she watched Nova part the sea. She walked out further into the current, but the water didn't knock her over. Rather, it created an all-encompassing wall around her, allowing her to move to different areas and retrieve more treasures.
Lucien blinked in surprise, "Does she realize she's doing it?"
"I think so," Rhys murmured, "but I don't think it's something she's consciously thinking about doing. She just…naturally manipulates it."
To control something as powerful as the ocean, even on a calm day, was a feat. Yet, Nova did it with effortless ease. A part of Feyre was proud, even relieved, to know Nova could wield a power like that. She could protect herself with these gifts. Then, a part of her dreaded knowing how quickly her power could turn into a problem rather than a gift. Madja was right; a temper tantrum could rock Velaris. What if Nesta, indeed, had been playing with fire last night?
Nova kneeled in front of them again, holding the biggest conch shell Feyre had ever seen, but she didn't set it in her collection pile. Instead, she held it out to Feyre. She smiled and took it. "It's a conch shell." She offered it back, but Nova, insistent, held it to her again.
"She's giving it to you, Feyre, darling." Rhys smiled, his eyes glittering.
Heat built behind her eyes as she took the shell. "Mine?" Feyre asked Nova, testing the new word she'd learned, and Nova nodded immediately. "Thank you…" Feyre smiled and took the shell. "It's beautiful. Just as you are."
Nova's grin widened, and she quickly returned to the water. They spent almost the entire morning on the beach, only leaving when Nova discovered that crabs are not friendly to curious, wiggling toes.
Rhys chuckled, "Good thing Madja is visiting today."
"She looks to be healing rather quickly. Nothing broken." Madja said as she examined Nova's foot. Her toes were still red, but she had stopped limping for the most part. "She really should wear shoes. The last thing you want is for her to get an infection."
Feyre nodded, pursing her lips into a grim line. "We'll keep trying. Every time we put them on, they're gone again." While everyone else took residence on the couches, Nova sat on the carpet, examining her new shells. She lined them up, touching each one and rearranging them.
"You said she's been speaking more?" Madja asked.
Rhys grinned with pride. "One word, 'mine'. I hate to say it, but it's thanks to Nesta. She gave her a reason to use her voice."
"Is she counting?" Cassian asked, tilting his head as they watched her.
Feyre frowned, watching her. "I don't know if she's counting, but I think she's making sure she hasn't lost any of them."
Scooping the rattling shells into her hands, they watched her dash toward her room. When she returned only a moment later, she carried a hairbrush and gave it to Feyre. Smiling, Feyre nodded, and Nova sat on the floor in front of the couch. With careful fingers, Feyre brushed through her dark hair over and over. She hadn't yet tried to braid or do anything special to it. The simple act of being allowed to brush through the day's tangles was enough for her.
Rhys watched with a smile. "The first time Feyre even tried to touch her hair, she tried to bite her," he said, Madja glancing over at him, "She still is very hesitant of any physical affection, but she's begun requesting this. Not with words, but it's a start in building her trust."
Smiling, Feyre continued brushing through all of the tangles. "Today we're going shopping. We'll see how she works with more people. She did well last night at dinner, given the circumstances."
Cas let out a soft sigh. "I've endured all types of torture, but the look she gave me last night when I didn't help her…" He shook his head with a frown.
"I think we all felt that," Rhys murmured, nodding. "A difficult way to learn, but we don't have the luxury of time."
Soon, Madja left after giving some advice on Nova's healing toes.
"Nova," Feyre said, setting the brush aside. Nova looked straight up and stared at her as if upside down. Feyre laughed, "Let's go shopping."
The streets were alive with people, and Nova didn't seem to know where to look first. Feyre held Rhys' hand, intertwining their fingers as they watched Nova skip through the road, looking all around her. They had decided to let Nova decide where to go through exploration. She continuously looked over her shoulder to ensure they were still behind her. Following her into the bakery, Rhys quickly intervened as Nova snatched a loaf from one of the stands and sank her teeth into it. He took the loaf from her abruptly.
"Wait. First, we pay for it. Then you can have it. Look," Rhys said patiently as he pulled enough money for the loaf from his pocket. He put the coins into her hand and guided her to the front counter to help her pay for the bread, but when it was time to give the coins over, Nova clutched them to her chest with a scowl.
Rhys pursed his lips and smiled softly with an understanding nod. He took hold of her hand and, though she resisted, held her hand to show the coins and then held up the loaf of bread. "You can have the bread, or you can have the coins."
Nova tried to reach for the bread while keeping the coins to her chest, but Rhys shook his head. "No, " he said, his voice firm. Then he offered the options again, "Bread or coins."
Nova seemed to be contemplating it, but ultimately, the shiny circles won out, and she clutched them tighter. Waiting until she was distracted elsewhere, Rhys smiled sheepishly at the baker and handed her the money to cover the bread Nova had already bitten into—and a little extra for the trouble. She thanked him happily as Nova was already leaving the store.
They quickly followed her out.
"We'll need to be more careful." Feyre bit back a smile, glancing up at him, but he was grinning as he watched Nova observe the coins.
It took some time to get her mind on something else, but soon, they entered a store littered with toys. Nova gravitated toward the stuffed animals, and then she…gasped. All at once, Nova snatched a stuffed fox from the rack and hugged it so tight that Feyre didn't know how to respond. Rhys frowned, slowly moving forward, but Nova quickly whipped her body away from him so he couldn't take the fox away.
"Nova," he said gently, "Do you want to buy it? Use your coins."
Nova slowly looked over at him. She wore a scowl, but her eyes glittered with tears. Feyre knew she needed to understand she couldn't just have something, but she couldn't bare the thought of taking that fox away from her.
"Come on, Nova," Feyre offered her hand, "Let's pay for it." Nova hesitated but then opened her palm to look down at the coins.
Nodding, Rhys smiled. "Give the coins to him," he pointed at the store's owner, "And you can have the fox." After a moment longer of deliberation, Nova inched around Rhys, still keeping the fox to her chest. Granted, Rhys had taken the bread from her hands from the bakery, so the hesitation made sense. They watched as she took step by step to the owner and offered the coins. Smiling, he took the coins gingerly from her outstretched hand.
"Thank you." He said with a smile.
Nova slowly backed away, waiting for someone to take the fox from her. When no one did, the look of suspicion shifted into a wide grin. Hugging the fox to her neck, she left the store promptly. There was no distracting her after that. She didn't seem to want to go anywhere else now that she had her fox.
Rhys chuckled. "It's time to meet up for lunch anyway. She'll have other opportunities to see more of the city."
"I wonder what's so special about the fox." Feyre mused as they walked toward The Sidra. Mor, Cas, and Az were waiting for them at a table.
"How did exploring go?" Mor asked with a smile as Nova sat in the seat next to Az, clinging to her fox as if it were a lifeline.
Rhys smiled, sitting next to Mor. "We managed two places in two hours," he chuckled, "But she won't let that fox go."
Sitting beside Nova, Feyre watched her look down before suddenly plunging her hand into Azriel's pocket. Az lurched to the side in surprise, looking down as Nova fished her hand in search of something.
"Nova!" Feyre gasped with surprise and reached forward, taking her wrist and yanking it from his pocket. Putting her fingers to her forehead, Feyre tried not to burst into laughter.
"What happened?" Cas asked, confused.
Feyre snorted, put a hand over her mouth, and shook her head. "Earlier, Rhys pulled coins from his pocket…"
Rhys suddenly burst into laughter, throwing his head back.
"She had to use the coins to pay for the fox," Feyre continued, "so I think she's looking for more."
Chuckling, Azriel reached into his other pocket, pulled out two coins, and offered them to Nova. "A gift." He said gently.
The way Nova's eyes widened, and her grin grew, one would think she'd been given the most luxurious diamonds money could buy. She took them without hesitation and hugged them and the fox together.
Feyre smiled and tapped her shoulder. "Tell Azriel 'thank you.'"
"Mine," Nova said.
"No, that's…" Feyre sighed softly and smiled. "We'll work on it."
The table laughed and ordered their food, but Nova didn't seem interested in any of the food that arrived. She kept holding her fox, looking down at it and smoothing the fur in nice strokes. Feyre frowned slightly as she watched her. "It seems too personal to be a coincidence. She has many interests, but they all have a theme. Shells and coins…they make sense. Why the fox?"
Why so specific?
"Hm," Mor murmured, "Maybe Nova keeps more secrets than we realized."
That night, in the townhouse, Nova was snuggled on the couch with her fox fast asleep. Rhys, Feyre, Cas, Az, Mor, and Amren, sat around the table playing a card game. Feyre glanced over from her hand and smiled, watching Nova breathe before looking back at the cards. Fat rain droplets pelted the roof and windows, making the night sky even darker.
"Feels like a big storm rolling through." Rhys nodded, glancing up at the roof. "Might need some cleanup tomorrow morning."
A flash lit the distant sky, soon followed by a rumble of thunder, and Feyre instinctively looked over at Nova again- who still slept soundly.
"Your worry is showing, Feyre," Cassian smirked.
Sighing softly, she ran her fingers through her hair, returning her attention to the table. "I know she's safe, I know that. I can't stop thinking about her- like something terrible is going to happen at any moment, and I'm going to look over, and she'll be gone."
Rhys squeezed her hand lightly. "I think that's called being a parent."
Leaning against Rhys, Feyre played the game, forcing herself to stop looking over at Nova. The thunder gradually grew closer, and the flashes of lightning became a bit brighter every few minutes.
The lights above suddenly flickered.
"It's just the electricity of the storm interfering with the field of magic. It's been a long while since we've had a storm like this." Rhys said, just as the lights went out, but the brightest flash of lightning lit the interior, followed by the loudest crash Feyre was confident she'd ever heard. The house itself rattled from that particular strike. Had it hit the house? Feyre couldn't stop herself from looking over at the couch. Staring through the gloom, she stared at the vacant spot on the couch.
"Where's Nova?" The panic in her voice sent everyone to their feet. It was as though Feyre could only hear her heartbeat, her limbs cold and numb as if she'd been detached body and soul. Another flash of lightning lit the windows, showcasing the unforgiving waves of the ocean that were overtaking the beach. Rhys quickly checked beneath the couch and stood to his feet before following Feyre's gaze.
"She wouldn't have gone there. We would have known." Rhys said, his voice calm though his violet eyes were wide and wild.
Feyre squeezed his arm. "We didn't know she was in the forest for days, Rhys. Days. I don't know how she uses her powers without training, but she can, and she does, and what if her instincts during a storm like this were to run?"
Cassian moved toward the door. "Az and I will fly down to the beach; if she's there, we'll find her. Alright?" Without another word, Cas and Az jogged through the door and took off at top speed, flying through the pelting rain while the rest of them began searching the house.
"Nova?" Feyre called, first jogging to her room. It was empty, but she quickly checked under the bed and shuddered sigh.
Nothing.
Dashing through the halls, everyone went this way and that, meeting again in the sitting room just as Cas and Az flew, dripping all over the floor.
"Did you find her?" Cas asked, looking half-drowned.
"No," Rhys shook his head, "if she's hiding from the storm, she must be cloaking. We need to look everywhere she can hide under or inside of."
They dispersed, moving through every part of the house. As Feyre searched, she waited fervently for someone to shout out that they'd found her. In desperation, she entered her bedroom again and looked around. Rechecked the bed, the wardrobe, and the bathroom.
"Nova, please…" Feyre let out a soft cry, tears in her eyes as the ache in her heart and twist in her gut flushed her face. The sound of searching echoed through the house- someone was in the kitchen looking through the cupboards, someone else was searching the couch cushions, and she was certain someone was on the ceiling. Then, through all the rustling, a tiny creeaaakkkk came from somewhere in the room. Feyre froze and looked around her. "Quiet!" She called out, and all the rustling around the house stopped abruptly. Aside from the drizzle of rain outside, pure silence filled the house. "Nova?" Feyre whispered.
Creeaaakkkk.
Feyre whipped her head to the windows and waited, hearing slow and careful steps on the stairs. Tip-toeing to the window, Feyre looked around the cushioned seat before kneeling down and carefully placing her fingertips along the underside edge of the cushion. She pulled up and it gave way freely, opening with the same soft creak she'd heard before. Inside the hollowed-out box beneath the window seat lay Nova. Scrunched into the confines of the little storage space that Feyre had no idea existed.
"Hey," Feyre murmured.
Nova looked up, her hands over her ears and her fox tucked against her chest. Her cheeks were stained with tears, and her entire body trembled as if she were coming out of a frozen lake.
Feyre swallowed back the tears she felt brimming and carefully reached inside the box, stroking Nova's hair. "It's okay," she whispered, "you're safe. The storm is almost over. It's okay."
Rhys lowered himself beside Feyre and offered Nova the gentlest smile she'd ever seen him wear.
"Is she okay?" Azriel's soft voice came from the doorway.
"She's scared, but she doesn't seem hurt," Rhys answered and smiled softly. "I think we found where all of our stuff has been disappearing to. Within Nova's little cubby space was an array of stuff. From scattered chess pieces to metal forks…where did she get marbles?
"Oh, Nova," Feyre smiled softly, tears still stinging her eyes, "Where did you get all the acorns? I think you might be part squirrel."
Nova tilted her head and slowly unplugged her ears. "Mine?"
Feyre smiled softly and nodded. "Yes, you can keep them. Come on," she offered her arm, "We'll show you that you are always safe with us, okay?"
Nova stared at her, the words not registering, but slowly climbed out of the window seat. Her eyes were squeezed closed like she didn't want to look anywhere. Trying to figure out what she was thinking was the worst part.
"Would it be so wrong to try and enter her mind?" Feyre murmured. "Just to know how to help her?" She glanced over at Rhys.
Rhys pursed his lips. "I've debated it myself, but I hesitate."
Nova slowly opened her eyes and risked a glance outside, looked at her fox, then outside again.
"It's just so difficult not knowing why she's so upset. You'd have thought she would have come out when the thunder stopped, but she didn't." Feyre frowned.
"Fox?" Nova asked and looked at them—her second word.
Feyre tried to keep the excitement from her voice but nodded. "What about your fox?"
Nova looked out the window, staring at something. Rhys moved forward and followed her gaze.
"She's staring at the city," he furrowed his brow, glanced at Nova, then over his shoulder, and sighed softly.
"I don't know why."
It was frustrating for everyone. Wanting to understand… wishing to help, but being completely incapable.
"Fox?" Nova asked, still staring down at the city.
Mor slowly stepped into the room. "I don't think she's talking about her fox, at least not directly. Nova?" Mor asked, waiting for her to look at her. "What happened to fox?" Silence filled the space as Nova seemed to try to understand what Mor was asking. After a long minute, Feyre pursed her lips. They might never know. "Why are you afraid, Nova?" Mor tried again, and Nova looked out the window, watching the rain hit the glass.
"Fox…" Her voice came as a broken whisper. Then, when they expected nothing else from her, Nova walked with purpose to the bathing room. Feyre assumed she had to use it at first, but then the tub faucet came on, and she exchanged a quick glance with Rhys before following after her. It was true; Nova was filling the tub.
"Nova?" Feyre asked. Was she trying to tell them something she couldn't express? If so, then what?
The bathroom became crowded as everyone tried to watch what she was doing with curious expressions. Nova opened the box by the tub filled with the toys Feyre had purchased before she was born. Particular in her selection, she took out only the toys that were animals. She put them in, letting them sink to the bottom, then picked up a boat and set it on top of the water to float. Inside the boat, she placed her stuffed fox and a doll.
"Fox?" Nova asked, looking at them, but no one responded. They only watched her. Had she been in a boat on a lake at some point? Maybe with her fox? Nova sighed…she actually sighed. She almost sounded frustrated. Turning to the tub again, she dipped her hand into the water and began swirling her arm, disrupting the water and turning it into a whirlpool. The boat titled and went under the surface, sending the girl and the fox overboard.
A soft sound escaped Mor, and Feyre quickly looked over her shoulder.
"Mother above," Mor murmured, "I think I understand…"
Nova pulled the fox from the water. He was sopping wet, tears running down her cheeks as she offered him to Feyre. While soaked, the toy was heavy and limp. Replicating a…
"What happened?" Rhys asked Mor, not taking his eyes off Nova. He leaned down and gently wiped her tears as Feyre took a towel to dry Fox off.
"While in the tavern, I went around the place. I asked the locals some questions. Many mentioned the same event. A few years back, maybe seven or eight. It rained for days, so much rain that it flooded the lake and took over the forest. Crops and livestock were lost. I had been waiting to bring it up before we found Nova, or rather, she found us. I didn't know if it would have affected her, and I didn't want to add another fear after seeing the gravestones."
Cas frowned. "Animals in the forest that couldn't climb high enough would have drowned."
Taking a deep breath, Feyre nodded. "Fox died?" She asked Nova, but she just stared at her. Suddenly, she crawled through their legs and dashed toward the window again, staring at Velaris. She whined, a sound of worry.
"She's afraid the same will happen to the city…" Azriel finally said. "She's afraid the rain is going to drown them."
The pieces of the puzzle clicked in place.
Feyre shook her head, "If she'd had a pet fox, seeing Fox in the store must have brought back all the memories of what she lost. She would have been seven years old. A seven-year-old trying to keep her head above water in her own home, losing everything she cares about, and now she's afraid it will happen again."
Nova never slept, even with Fox damp in her arms, wrapped in a towel. She cradled him and watched over the city.
Smiling softly, Rhys watched her while leaning against the window seat. "I know this is a terrible way to find this out, but…" His violet eyes flashed to the Inner Circle before continuing, "but she's proved tonight that she naturally has a caring heart. She's visited the city once, and now that she knows its existence, she watches over it. Just as we do."
Rhys glanced up, watching Nova watch Velaris.
"I worried that all the time she'd spent alone in those woods would make her hard-hearted. More animal than a person, but she's proved my fears wrong."