Macy POV
My anger is reaching a boiling point on the carriage ride back to the palace. I refused to stop for the night, much to Nyx's disapproval, but she can kiss my ass. The audacity of the Royal Fae to steal babies from their families is astounding. I can't bear to look at Nyx. I have lived with her all my life. I thought I knew her, but clearly, she is not who I thought she was.
Leaning my head against the wall, I pretend to be asleep. I have a lot to say, and I don't want to take all of my anger out on Nyx, even though I am certain she deserves it.
"I know when you are avoiding me," she says.
"Then you should know when to leave me alone."
"We should talk before you get back to the palace," she continues despite my retort.
"We can have this conversation back at the palace," I groan. "I want to sleep."
"No," Nyx raises her voice. "I will not let you attack Cassian over a law that Roland put into place."
Okay. She wants to do this now. We can do this now. Spinning in my seat, I glare into her eyes. She doesn't flinch under my stare, but her eyebrows furrow. Almost as if she is looking at something she has never seen before. "What have you done?" She whispers.
"I don't know what you are talking about?" I snap. "I thought you wanted to talk about Cassian."
She tears her eyes away from me and glances down at her hands. "He is doing his best. Roland left him with a mess."
"When are you going to stop defending him? How long has he been King and yet nothing has changed? He isn't trying to fix Roland's mistakes. He is hiding behind them. Maybe he isn't as good of a person as you think he is."
"He is good," Nyx sighs. "I know his heart."
"Do you?" I hiss through my teeth. "No good person would steal babies from their families. You are blinded by your love for him."
"You act like they are not compensated," Nyx grumbles.
Throwing my hands in the air, I let out a scream of frustration. "How do you think that makes it better?"
Her gray eyes turn cold. "You have only been in the Immortal Realm for a short time. Do not question your King. You don't know how things work here."
I hold her gaze. My hand snakes into my pocket, and I wrap my fingers around the diadem. A cold feeling washes over me. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, and when I reopen them, the world is different.
The vibrant colors of the Immortal Realm are gone. In their place are cold grays and blacks. When I look at Nyx, I can see her red heart beating in her chest. I cock my head to the side and look at her. Her heart is beating too fast. I trail my gaze to her eyes. Her pupils are large, and I can smell her fear.
"Macy," she gasps.
My hand darts out and wraps around her neck. The color of my hand surprises me. My pale skin is gone, and in its place is dark gray. Like it has been dipped in ink. The tips of my fingers are black against Nyx's light skin.
With my free hand, I pull the diadem out of my pocket and dangle it in from of Nyx. The pitch black stones are glowing white.
"Where did you get that?" She squirms under my touch.
"I found it," I reply in a voice that is not mine.
The tears falling from Nyx's cheeks are dripping onto my hand. It should make me want to let her go, but I tighten my grasp. She doesn't claw for freedom. She doesn't gasp for air. Her eyes close, and her body goes limp.
Realization hits me, and I let her go. I will the world to become vibrant again, but it doesn't. Selene warned me that my quest for vengeance would turn me into a Gray Creature. Did she do this to me?
I look at Nyx with wide eyes. Her chest rises with shallow breaths. I did not kill her, but I wanted to. I wanted to feel the life drain from her body. It would have fueled me and made me better and stronger. However, I could not do it. Inside of this foreign body, I am still here.
I look out of the window, and darkness has fallen over the realm. I need to get out of here before we make it back to the palace. I do not know how long I will be able to control the urges surging through my body.
The carriage comes to a halt, and I know I am too late. I jump out of the door. My mates and the warriors look at me. If they recognize me, they don't let it be known. We seem to be frozen in time. None of us are willing to make a move.
Winston dismounts his dragon and steps in my direction. He is unafraid. His thumb brushes across my cheek, and I lean into his touch. Closing my eyes, I beg for the world to be what it once was.
When my eyes flutter back open, the world is still not as it was before. I fear that it will never be the same. Pulling away from Winston, I shake my head. "Move," I hiss at the warriors.
I run into the night. I no longer have to care about the Gray Creatures coming for me. I am one of them.
The trees call for me. I swear I can hear them humming in on the wind. When I step beneath the tree canopy, they part for me as if they are showing me the way.
"Macy," Edward calls after me.
I do not turn in the direction of his voice. I run from him, following the path made for me by the trees.
They close behind me, blocking anyone from following my path. It is a relief. My wings flap behind me, and I lift off the ground. They do not need me to control them. Soon, I am hovering above the trees, looking down at the Immortal Realm.
"You found us," a voice whispers beside me.
I turn and see a Gray Creature flying beside me. I don't answer him.
"Come," he gestures. "I will help you shift back."