[ Nyx is careful as he listens to Miles. He doesn't try to interrupt him to ask questions; by this point he knows that Miles needs to get all the words out in order to explain the situation.

There's still a lot they don't know about each other, as much as there is a lot they do know. And if there's one thing Nyx can understand, it's denying the existence of a thing in order to cope with something.

He waits until Miles has finished before he dismisses the knife, the weight of the handle vanishing from under Miles's fingers. In its place, Nyx gently pushes his hand up so they're palm to palm. ]

I get it. Maybe not your exact thing, no, but I understand that... when a thing isn't true, it's easier to live with.

[ He takes a deep breath, lets his forehead dip down to rest against Miles's, since he's so close. ]

It isn't a part of me, is the thing. It's something the King gave me originally, and this isn't even a part of him. It's from his... ancestors or some bullshit like that, and it came with a price. To fix something he'd messed up. And at the time I pretended it wasn't something he'd done.

[ A dry laugh. ]

So, magic is bullshit. Just maybe not in the way you were imagining.