"Is Alex okay?" Niyx asked, seconds after she finished speaking. Something in Tasha's chest ached at the mention of the girl who had, technically, gotten Niyx killed. Who commanded all his love, for whom he would die for.
He'd never do that for Tasha. She knew. It had happened before.
They'd only been children, appearing maybe twelve years old. They'd been running wildly through Raelia, kids out of control and unrestricted by rules, laughing their heads off. Tasha kept heading deeper and deeper, Niyx following hot on her heels.
It was then that the Sarnaph burst out of the foliage.
It had struck out at Tasha and she had fallen, bleeding, to the ground. She remembered screaming, and she remembered Niyx just standing there, a horrified look painted on his face.
She remembered feeling alone.
She remembered the burning pain, flaring whenever she tried to move. Any stimuli hurt.
She remembered the blood, drowning out everything else. She remembered her heart beating in her ears, and a feeling of being underwater.
She remembered it all.
The Sarnaph had ignored him and almost killed Tasha. If it wasn't for the Zeltora guard patrolling the premises . . . well.
She still had the scars, three sharp silver lines extending from her heart, across her right shoulder and down to the small of her back.
She knew Niyx and Alex would never fall in love, but they still loved each other. And that was what hurt Tasha the most; knowing that whatever her wishes, whatever she'd been through and whatever bond she had with Niyx, it was nothing compared to Alexandra Jennings.
"She's fine," Tasha shrugged. Lying. She had caught Niyx at the exact right time; an hour before Alex showed up at Draekora, bearing laendra and her chance to be captured by Gaiel Varsae.
Niyx smiled, relief showing on his face.
Tasha smiled reassuringly back. And thought about what a repulsive, selfish creature she was.
"Are you okay?" Niyx asked, but Tasha didn't catch it; she was too busy trying to hold back hot tears. "Are you okay?" He asked again, knocking her foot with his.
"I'm fine," Tasha said, and looked up at the amethyst eyes gazing questioningly into her own. "I'll live."
"How's Aven? Is he stable?" Tasha asked, figuring it was her turn. Niyx froze up, and she frowned intensely. "Niyx?"
Niyx still didn't talk.
"Niyx! Is Aven okay?" Tasha demanded, because as far as she was concerned, the welfare of her former best friend was important right now, if nothing else was. She was the only one in all of Medora who still believed there was hope for Aven.
"You should go," Niyx said suddenly. His voice was cold. "Really. Aven could find you at any moment."
"You know he'd never hurt me," Tasha responded quietly. "He'd never hurt either of us."
Niyx didn't look up. "You should go," He repeated, and Tasha didn't know what to say.
If she left, Niyx would die all over again.
If she stayed, she would probably be captured and killed.
"I'm here for you," Tasha's voice struggled to form the words, "if you need me."
She turned and strode onto the balcony, looking back onto his still form once more. If he needed her; what a stupid and naive sentiment. Niyx didn't need her. He had survived fine on his own.