Chapter 18

~~~~~NYX~~~~~

Cassian was roaring with boisterous laughter as Inej helped a disgruntled Azriel off the ground. Nyx turned to his cousin Finch, he knew he was worried when his mate was sent to fight Azriel. 

Finch's eyes were huge, his jaw dropped, and he hadn't moved a muscle since Inej had first gotten Az on the ground. "Dude... You have to chill out. I can smell your arousal from here." Nyx jested with a bit of sincerity. 

Nyx moved his body slightly closer to Finch, just in case he had to stop his cousin from jumping the poor girl in front of their families. 

"I believe that is one point, team crows." The intoxicating voice of Loki filled the air as she turned to Nyx's father with a cocky grin, "Who's next?"

"AZRIEL! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!?" Rhys called out in annoyance, his competitive nature on full display. 

"You try fighting her then," Azriel growled back, a look very reminiscent of a pout adorning his features.

"Mor, you're up," Rhy called out. 

"Nina," Loki said, the calm smugness still in her tone. 

Nina walked up to Loki's side. "Give them a taste of what you can do. No mourners." "No funerals."

They both entered the ring. 

"After this what do you say you and me do a different kind of cardio?" Nina flirted with Mor. What took the night court by surprise though, was the bright blush staining Mor's cheeks. 

"I wouldn't take it too personally Morrigan. Nina just likes to flirt with everything. I saw her make eyes at a pair of shoes she fancied in a shop window." Jesper called out laughing as Nina stuck her tongue out at him.

Everyone laughed at their banter and Nyx couldn't help but picture a future. 

A future where he was High Lord, Loki was High Lady. A future where Finch and the crows made up their own court of Dreams. Different from the original and yet so similar. Family without shared blood. Unending trust and nonstop teasing every day. 

It was a beautiful picture, that he would give his life to make a reality. 

He pulled his mind back to the present as he watched Mor and Nina circle each other. 

"Let's begin with a little biology lesson. We can get to anatomy later." Nina sent Mor a flirty wink before her eyes began to glow gold and suddenly Mor fumbled. 

Mor's body began to relax, she looked exhausted and she hadn't even swung yet. "Oh don't look so worried, pretty girl. I only increased the levels of Melatonin in your brain. That's lesson one! Melatonin is a hormone that tells your brain to prepare to sleep, often making one sluggish and tired." Nina crooned as she swung her fist right at Mor's face. 

Mor blocked, but it was sluggish as she fought to keep her eyes open. "Lesson two, in schizophrenia and drugs like LSD, the dopamine levels are increased as well...causing hallucinations." 

Mor looked around. Nyx didn't know what his Aunt Mor was seeing but she was dodging invisible things, exhausting herself even more. 

"Final lesson, now that you are good and worn out. Do you why some people faint during panic attacks? Your adrenaline is spiked during your fight or flight response and then it suddenly drops to nothing. Your brain and body shutting down with it." 

They then watched as Mor was wide awake, breathing quick, uneven breathes. She was shaking and sweat dripped from her forehead. They watched as Mor's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell limp into Nina's awaiting arms. 

"Well I do believe that would be two for the crows! Wouldn't you say boss?" Nina smiled sending a cheeky wink at Loki. 

"I do believe you are right, Nina dear. Now wake the poor girl up. We wouldn't want her to miss the high Lords loss." Loki's voice tickled the air as she looked directly at Nyx's father. 

"OKAY! That wasn't even fair." Rhys grumbled under his breathe as he glared at the newly awakened Mor. 

"AMREN!" The High Lord called. 

"Might as well give them one win. It would be boring otherwise...Jesper! try not to die. No mourners."

"MY funeral!" Jesper grumbled as he stepped into the ring. 

Amren and Jesper looked at each other for a moment before Jesper turned around and started walking back out of the ring. 

"I YIELD! NO FUCKING WAY AM I FIGHTING THAT! I'm the inventor! I am a weapons master, an errand boy, and a pretty face with a gambling problem. I'm not fighting an ancient fucking being. You're out of your mind Loki." Jesper roared leaving behind a smirking Amren. 

Loki laughed. She actually laughed. 

She'd laughed, and if he could have bottled the sound and gotten drunk on it every night, he would have. 

Nyx knew that he was head over heels for Loki at that moment. It wouldn't matter about their past, the brewing war, it didn't matter. Because he would fight and die to stay at her side through it all. 

"Well that would be two for the crows, one for team bats." Jesper said quickly making his way to hide behind Loki. 

"Finally on the board how does it feel, High Lord?" Loki taunted. 

"Shut up."

"You do know that if you loose this next round, the game is over." Loki continued, reveling in Rhys' growing annoiance.

"I KNOW BREKKER! CASSIAN GET YOUR ASS UP THERE! NESTA THREATEN HIM!" Rhs grit his teeth like a child. 

"Lose and you aren't allowed to touch me for a week." Nesta said to a now horrified Cassian. 

Loki smirked and Nyx suddenly became worried for his uncle.

"Matthais. Try to hold back a bit, remember there is a no maiming rule." Loki joked patting a enormous blonde man on the back. 

"I will try my best, demon." Matthais smirked as he made his way to the ring.

"No mourners!" The crows cawed together.

"No funerals." Matthais called back noncommittally. 

They stepped in the ring and sized each other up. 

"BEGIN!" 

Matthais surprised Cassian by taking the first swing. He dodged but the force of the punch just missing his face still moved him a step. 

Matthais might not have that speed of Inej or the technique of Nina but the Night Court soon realised that what Matthais did have was unparalleled strength. 

Cassian realized he needed to be careful not to take a hit or he'd be on the ground. 

Cas threw an upper cut into Matthais' side and though the giant did grunt a bit, the punch didn't seem to effect him at all. 

Like fighting a brick wall that hits back. 

Their dance continued, it looked like Cassian was winning. He was faster, he got in a lot more hits (though none of them seemed to do any damage to Matthais), and Matthais had yet to land a hit on Cas.

Until he did. 

Cassian had grown tired from the undless dodging, his reflexes slowed a bit. 

 With is right fist Matthais aimed high at Cassian's face and for the first time the entire match Matthais preformed a fake out. When Cas went to redirect Matthais' hit, Matthais shifted his weight, bringing his left fist directly into Cassian's gut. 

The night court winced as they heard some of Cas' ribs snap from where they were standing. Cas was thrown off his feet and rolled a few times.

Cas gasped on the ground coughing up a bit of blood as he tried in vain to rise to his feet. Matthais walked over to the Illyrian currently coughing up a lung on his hands and knees. In the most below the belt move Nyx had ever seen, Matthais grabbed Cas and lifted him... BY HIS WINGS. 

Cas couldn't even get air in to growl let alone fight back as Matthais began spinning. Cas was in the air spinning by his wings and he could do nothing but try to accept the inevitable pain that was going to come. 

Matthais used that velocity to hurl Cas directly into the ground. His fingers still held tight to Cas' wings as he placed a large foot on his back. 

"You seem rather... attached to these wings. If you would like to keep it that way I would suggest yielding now." Matthais' deep voice vibrated through the air as Cas continued to cough and grit his bloodied teeth. 

Nyx knew Cas wasn't going to yield. His uncle would probably rather have his wings ripped clean off then lose the tournament for the Night Court. 

"HE YEILDS." Rhys cut in, thinking the same thing as his son. 

Matthais released Cas and walked over to Loki. "What I didn't maim. He is still intact." Matthais began defending himself before Loki even said a word.

"Nina dear, go fix the General. I worry Matthais may have broken something important." Loki said. Nina walked up to Cassian, her eyes glowing gold as she held a hand on his stomach. 

"Four broken ribs, a peirced lung, and some MAJOR internal bleeding." Nina looked right at Loki as if asking permission to heal him.

"Can you fix him?" Matthais asked, looking slightly guilty.

"Don't mock me. Of course I can." Nina said holding up both hands this time. 

Cas gasped as Nyx heard four distinct cracks. 

"There. All better. But you will be sour as hell for a few days, General." Nina said before standing and walking back to stand with the crows. 

"Well High Lord. It looks like my court does in fact, best your court." The smug look in her eyes took away from her cold business like face. 

Rhys grumbled some profanities. "You know. A court is only as good as it's leader. I would love to see what you can do, miss Brekker." Feyre said, not even trying to hide her curiosity about her son's mate. 

A smirk took over Loki's face and the crows visibly paled, looking horrified at the High Lady. 

"That unfortunately was not part of the deal. Maybe another day. For now, what say you to lunch?" Loki walked away the crows following behind as they made their way back inside. 

"I can't believe you let that guy beat the shit out of you." Rhys grumbled like a petulant child.

"HE WAS GOING TO RIP OFF MY WINGS WITH HIS BARE HANDS, RHYS! And at least I got beat by an adult, right Az, Mor?"

"Shut the fuck up, Cas." Mor spat.

"At least I could take more than one hit." Azriel growled. 

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