NOHX STARED at the sigils. They were spread in front of him as though they were a puzzle. They sort of were, he surmised.

He brushed his fingers over the symbols. Protective, Sivelle had said. Looking at them made Nohx feel a few things. Uneasy. Worried. Nervous about who had put them in the Royal Court in the first place. He tried to think about who would even have the stones, but his mind was coming up blank.

There was a knock at his office door. His hands paused over the stones, not yet ready to share their existence with anyone who worked in the Snow Clan who may be knocking for him. When he opened the door, he was partly relieved to find Oberon on the threshold. The white haired fae wore a worn smile, but there was something off about his expression that had Nohx tilting his head, his eyes honing in on the bags under Oberon's eyes.

"Are you alright?" The question burst out of Nohx before he could stop himself.

Oberon made a shooing movement with his hand, gesturing that the two of them have this conversation within the confines of the office, where no one could eavesdrop.

Nohx let Oberon in, not bothering to worry about the stones. He'd long given up on hoping Oberon would butt out of Andorra's life. It was obvious that would never happen in this lifetime, even if Nohx felt the usual bouts of jealousy rear up inside of him. He knew Andorra didn't love Oberon like that, and he knew even more that Oberon didn't have those feelings for his Queen.

But still. It lingered.

"We need to force Ero to go back to Avorotho. He's overstayed his welcome." Oberon rubbed at his own forearms as if he were trying to ward off a chill of somesort. It was so incredibly unlike Oberon that Nohx really paused to look at him.

"What happened? Did he do something to Andy?" The anger and threat in his voice usually would have been enough to make Oberon look at him, but he was too busy looking slightly dazed and nauseous. He shook his head.

"No, nothing like that. It's just, I've been thinking about him being the Prince of Avorotho, and don't you think that puts us in some kind of danger? I'm beginning to think maybe we should tell Puck what's going on. I mean, Puck has eyes-"

"Puck isn't on Andorra's council. We are. And we can handle this. If Andorra wants Puck to be a part of her planning, she'll invite him herself. Until then, we will fix this with her on her terms."

Oberon kept shaking his head. He was spooked by something, and Nohx was going to get to the bottom of it. "Then we need to assign another guard to him. I can't do it anymore."

Nohx's mouth dropped open, only for a moment. "What the fuck are you going on about? Tell me what's wrong Oberon."

Oberon did meet his eyes at that command. To hear the worry in Nohx's tone had Oberon's mouth dropping open, and then shutting again. He'd been so wrapped up in his own mind, he hadn't really been listening to his oldest friend.

It was enough to make his mouth morph into a small smile. "Are you worried? About me?" There was surprise in his voice. Shock.

"Of course I am! You come in here, shaking like a leaf, and you won't look me in the eye. And you're going on about Ero and asking to be reassigned. You not taking your duty seriously is not like you. Actually, coming here looking as freaked out as you did is not like you. So yeah, I'd say I'm worried. Are you actually going to spit it out?"

Oberon's smile widened. Something akin to relief slipped down his throat and settled into his gut. It had been so long since he'd heard Nohx act like this. His childhood self nearly jumped with joy. What he wouldn't have given to have Nohx act like this only a handful of years ago.

"You know, you act like you hate me, but deep down I knew you still wanted to be friends. Aw Noah, you softie."

The disturbed look that crossed Nohx's face only made Oberon laugh. He patted Nohx's arm good naturedly. "I was beginning to worry you'd never come back around. Honestly, I thought it would've been when Andy first came back to us, but I'll take it now. Are you finally ready to take the stick out of your ass yet?"

Nohx narrowed his eyes at Oberon. He opened his mouth to retort that they had never been friends, but that wasn't the truth. A child sized Nohx would have once done anything for his white haired best friend. Even if that meant helping him clean the bathroom, or help cook in the kitchen.

"You're insane." Was what he settled on saying instead.

Oberon couldn't fight the grin taking over his face. A part of him was screaming in childish delight. "Can we finally talk about your emo phase yet? Or is that too fresh?" Oberon ducked as Nohx swung, but he was laughing. Real laughter, the kind he hadn't had in what felt like far too long.

"Emo phase?" Nohx spat the word. "I swear-"

"C'mon. Stop hiding the fact that you care about me. It doesn't have to be gay. My heart isn't broken because you aren't in love with me." Obe pressed a hand to his chest at the words. "Although I think Andy would understand if you were gay for me, I mean, look at me-"

This time Nohx's hand did land a blow upside Oberon's head, but he was laughing so hard, there was no chance to even feel pain. He doubled over at the wild look in Nohx's eyes. And for a moment, Oberon let himself think about just how in love he had been with Nohx, for so long. So, so long. And yet, looking at the Snow Clan Leader, it wasn't romantic love he felt. Not anymore.

Oberon knew the reason why. Did not, under any circumstances, want to discuss or think about the reason why Nohx no longer made his heart race. His best friend was just that; his friend.

"Oberon, if you have nothing of value to share, you should just leave." Nohx's voice was gruff, but Oberon heard embarrassment there. It had him grinning back at the big grump. Then, his eyes fell on the stones scattered across Nohx's desk. He gestured to them.

"What's going on with those?"

The sigh Nohx let out was long. He rubbed his forehead as he turned his attention back to the stones. "Who knows. Sivelle said they're protective sigils, but I just can't think about who would have scattered them. They could have been placed for dangerous reasons as well, but she seemed to think they weren't. But who else would be looking out for Andorra?"

"We aren't the only ones who care about her, you know. As much as you love playing white savior, there are others who would die for her. I think it's a shorter list of who wouldn't fight for Andorra."

Nohx flexed his hands before he placed them on his desk, leaning over the stones. He felt frustrated all over again when he stared at them. "You don't have to remind me just how many people love her." His voice was soft, low. "Sometimes, I can't believe she picked me."

Oberon eyed Nohx carefully. First, he was worried about Oberon, and now he was sharing his feelings? Oberon felt like he was being punk'd. He almost expected that human from that reality TV show to pop out of nowhere. The one with the floppy brown hair.

"She's always picked you. When we were kids, you were always the first choice, you asshole. Don't you remember her crying in my arms when she was a baby? And yet, your grubby little arms always made her sleep. I say it again: asshole."

A surprise bark of laughter slipped from Nohx. He couldn't help it. He had a clear image in his mind of when Andorra first arrived in the Snow Clan as a small baby. He had only been five. Nothing more than a baby himself, and yet any time he held her wriggling body in his arms that first year, she slept. But for Oberon, she had sobbed relentlessly in his arms. Her little hands would grab fistfuls of his white hair and she would pull.

He had forgotten that. Another laugh slipped free as he remembered Oberon himself crying when Andorra refused to release his hair, the two babies wailing in the silence of the house. Bazile had come up to see what the commotion was, and he had banished them from the nursery in an instant.

Neither of them had listened. Nohx tried to smother the smile on his face at the memory.

"Crazy how young we all were." Even crazier how young Andorra had been when she'd been pulled from his life.

"Sometimes, I think about what it would've been like if we had all grown up together. If she had never left us." There was whimsy in Oberon's words. It was true; he had fantasized about what his life would have been like if Nohx had never thrown their friendship away. How the three of them would have gotten into so much trouble over the years, wrecking havoc upon the Snow Clan.

Nohx was quiet for a long moment as he turned those words over in his mind. He hated to admit that he wasn't the only one who suffered when Andorra had left. He'd been so wrapped up in his own depressed world he hadn't really given thought to how Oberon had fared.

"I'd like to think Andorra would have given my father a heart attack. I just know she would've been a spitfire from the start if she'd been around us."

"Bazile knew she would be trouble. That's probably why he banished her." Oberon shook his head with a grin. "Man, we're so lucky she came back for us. Even without her memory, she came back home to us. Crazy how that happens, huh?"

Us. Jealousy and possessiveness ripped through Nohx, but he swallowed it. Oberon was right, and he deserved Andorra too. He was just as much of a friend to Andorra. Had known Andorra for the same amount of time. Had missed her, too.

Nohx rubbed at his forehead again. "Do you think Ero placed them here? He makes sense, especially with his arrival. We could grill him on it."

Mentioning Ero's name had Oberon stiffening. His sudden good mood seemed to evaporate, just like that. It had Nohx eyeing Oberon, noting the change, analyzing the way Oberon's eyes pinched.

"I think Erowillric has his own motives that he'll take with him to the grave. We really need to send him back home, Noah. I mean it."

"We'll talk with Andy. It's her choice."

Oberon let out a frustrated grunt. "She'll want him to stay. She does like picking up strays. I think that's why she loves you so much."

Nohx elbowed Oberon, quick and sharp, and it made Oberon jump back on a laugh. "Okay, relax. All I'm saying is-"

"I know what you're saying. And you call me the asshole."

"Let's refocus back on the stones. What do the symbols mean?" Oberon gave Nohx plenty of space as he stood closer to the desk, preparing for another elbow to the ribs.

"Who knows. They're not from here. I think Sivelle knows, but she's elusive as all get out. I think we'll have to do our own research. Where do you think we can find books that'll translate sigils? I doubt that sort of thing is just lying around."

Oberon thought for a moment. He tilted his head in a hmmm gesture. "Vulara may know. Or the Rumplewren."

Nohx was silent for a long moment. He eyed the stones, wishing he just had the answers already. He hated not knowing things, especially when it came to keeping Andorra safe.

"I'm heading back to the Royal Court tonight, so I better get going." Oberon stepped away from the desk, sending Nohx a smile. It was hard not to when his old friend was coming back around. "Are you going back to see Andy?"

Did he want to? Yes. But Nohx had work to do, and he knew if he entertained the thought of seeing Andorra tonight, wrapped around him in her bed, Nohx wouldn't get anything done. He would gladly spend the entire evening staring at his soulmate and thanking Cornomous.

"Not until I figure out these stones."

When Oberon left, Nohx felt his shoulders sag as he stared at the mystery in front of him. He would figure out what the stones spelled out. He would figure out who created them. And he would do everything in his power to destroy any threats before they found his soulmate.

Lark was a fool. Such a fool for killing Maia.

He had been King, though. King. Suddenly, an idea popped into his mind. And Nohx knew exactly what he needed to do. 

* * *

hiiii

soooo i made a facebook group for these books if y'all want to join it. we can talk alllll about noah and andy and anlithamy :)

here is the link (i know you can't click sadly. maybe i'll put it in the comments)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/737894178214090/

if y'all don't have a facebook (because lowkey its outdated aha) you could always make a fake account with your wattpad username. that is lowkey what i did hehehe

or we could always try discord. ahhhh but yeah. i hope people join so we can talk!

okay okay

love you allllll

xoxo