Chapter 38 I won't Let you down
[Nyx]
Lilith's eyes widened in surprise. "I always thought you hated me."
"I never hated you," I admitted, sinking onto the edge of my bed. "I hated how your mother treated me, how Isla undermined me at every turn. And then I hated what your existence represented—that Father had moved on, that you were becoming the daughter I used to be. But none of that was your fault."
"And now we're both being married off like prized livestock," Lilith said with a hollow laugh. "At least your husband seems to genuinely care about you."
"And Damon?" I asked.
She shrugged, a perfect imitation of our father's dismissive gesture. "He's handsome, powerful, and completely in love with the idea of having an Alpha Verdant's daughter as his mate. Whether he'll love me remains to be seen."
The honesty in her assessment made my heart ache. We were more alike than I'd ever admitted—both pawns in our father's political chess game.
"Are you afraid?" I asked quietly.
"Terrified," she whispered, finally showing the vulnerability she'd been hiding. "I'll be alone there, surrounded by strangers who'll judge my every move. One wrong step and I could bring shame to our family or cause a political incident."
I felt chilled listening to her fears—it was horrifying to imagine how an eighteen-year-old girl would face such a nightmare.
"Come here," I said, standing and opening my arms. It was the first time I'd initiated any physical contact with her in years.
Lilith hesitated only for a moment before stepping into my embrace. She felt fragile in my arms, her perfume expensive but somehow still reminiscent of the little girl who used to follow me around the estate.
When we separated, I went to my dresser and withdrew a small silver card.
"Take this," I said, placing them in her hands. "It's an Eclipse company credit card with no spending limit. I know you have money of your own, but this is different. No one can trace it or control it but you."
Lilith stared at the items, clearly stunned by the gesture.
"Whatever happens in Shadowcrest, this gives you options," I continued. "Independence, if you need it."
"Why would you do this for me?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
"Because despite everything, you're still my sister," I replied, surprising myself with how much I meant it.
A knock at the door interrupted us. Isla's voice called through: "Lilith? The car is waiting. We need to leave now if we're to arrive on schedule."
Before Lilith could respond, another, deeper voice cut in—Father's voice, cold and authoritative. "Lilith, move. We're on a tight schedule." Then, directed at me, his tone hardened further. "And Nyx, I know you slipped out last night. Consider this your only warning—there will not be a next time. Defy the confinement again, and the consequences will be severe."
I froze, the air in the room growing heavy with his unspoken threat. My eyes flashed silver for a moment, but I bit back any retort. Lilith glanced at me, her expression a mix of sympathy and urgency.
Lilith quickly slipped the card and box into her bag. "I have to go."
"I know." I squeezed her hand. "Stay in touch. And Lilith—" I paused, searching for the right words. "Be careful, but also give him a chance. Maybe it won't be as bad as we fear."
She nodded, blinking rapidly to hold back tears. "Take care of yourself too, Nyx. And... Lysander seems good for you. I've never seen you this... centered before."
Before I could respond, she turned and hurried to the door. With one last glance over her shoulder, my sister was gone.
I stood in the sudden silence of the hallway, my sister's parting words still hanging in the air. The emptiness left in her wake felt strangely significant, as if something long broken had begun to heal. Regret gnawed at me—I wished I'd reached out sooner, mended the rift between us before it had grown so wide. If only I'd been braver, less consumed by my own pain, we might have had years instead of just this fleeting moment. But I couldn't change the past, only hope to build something better from now on.
"She'll be okay," Lysander said softly, clearly having witnessed our exchange. "If you're worried about her, we can visit often. The Shadowcrest territory isn't far—a few hours' drive.
I moved toward him and leaned back against his chest, surprising myself with how naturally I sought his warmth. His arms encircled me automatically, and I felt some of the tension leave my body. "That would be good," I said quietly.
"I've already arranged everything for today," Lysander continued, his voice rumbling against my back. "Timothy agreed to meet me for lunch to discuss the samples. I figured you'd want to move quickly on this."
I tilted my head to look up at him, a frown forming. "Wait—I'm still under Isla's confinement order. I can't leave the west wing."
"I know," he said, his expression resolute. "That's why I'm going alone. I'll take the samples, get them to Timothy, and bring back his initial assessment. You don't have to worry about a thing."
I pulled away slightly, surprised by his initiative. "You arranged all this while I was sleeping?"
He nodded, that confident half-smile making my stomach flutter despite my frustration at being confined. "Called him first thing this morning. I had a feeling you wouldn't want to waste any time. The restaurant is neutral ground—busy enough for privacy, but not connected to either family."
I sighed, hating the restrictions that kept me trapped. "I should be there. This is my company."
"And your fight is my fight now," Lysander said simply. "Let me be your eyes and ears today. Once we have Timothy's confirmation about those samples, we'll have concrete evidence to take to your father—enough to potentially lift your confinement."
He cupped my face gently, his amber eyes locking with mine. "Trust me, Nyx. I won't let you down. Let me handle this part."
A month ago, I would have laughed at the idea of trusting anyone with something this important, especially a man my father had forced me to marry. But looking into his eyes now, I felt the resistance inside me softening.
"Okay," I said quietly, covering his hand with mine. "I trust you with this." The words felt strange on my tongue—admitting trust had never come easily to me—but they also felt right.
His smile widened, and he pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. "I won't let you down," he repeated, his voice a solemn promise.