Every eye in the courtyard was on them. Her heart had taken off like a shot as she stared at the engagement necklaces in his palm. Slowly, she looked up at his face. This couldn’t be real.
She almost wished he was arresting her.
At least that would be easier to handle than what was about to happen next.
She looked around, skimming over the eyes of everyone in the crowd, all watching in silence with bated breath. Her mother’s hands were clasped in front of her mouth. Uncle Cyprian was clenching his jaw. She could hear them both in her head, screaming at her to accept.
Marcella was holding onto Gavril, riveted, while Gavril peered from behind his fingers, like he could not bear to watch but could not bear to look away even more.
Queen Clelia simply raised an eyebrow at her as the silence stretched on.
Then she looked up at the man who’d just asked her to marry him. His brow furrowed, and his cold, impassive expression shifted. He lowered his hand and stepped closer. She shook her head ever so slightly and stepped back.
Nikias’ eyes widened, but she was already speaking.
“No.”
The whole courtyard was silent, her voice was a rough whisper that tore through the air. Nikias was completely still. Everything was so still. She lifted her chin, holding Nikias’ gaze as she said, “I will not.”
“No?You—Aimilia—” Nikias stepped back, hand closing over the necklaces as the crowd began to erupt into whispers.
Aimilia turned on her heel. She couldn’t?—
Her family’s expressions were of pure horror. Marcella had her hand pressed to her mouth. Queen Clelia’s fury was palpable.
The walls were closing in. There were too many eyes.
“Wait—”
A hand brushed her wrist, and she ripped her arm back from Nikias.
Sheran.
Chapter 5
AIMILIA
Aimilia flew through the palace, the walls passing by in a blur as the dim light runes gave her just enough to see by that she didn’t fall and crack her skull open. She ran until her lungs burned and she ran out into an empty courtyard, far away from the banquet. She stumbled over to the fountain in the middle, dropping to a seat on the stone.
She held her chest as she heaved for air.
Her blood was still boiling and her heart still wouldn’t slow. Oh. She was going to be sick.
This.
She had been prepared for anything butthis.
She’d just rejected the crown prince in front of the whole court.
What could have possessed Nikias to do something so foolish? How could he have ever thought she would have accepted?
None of this made any sense. This wasn’t possible. This had to be a nightmare. Or some elaborate illusion.
Maybe she should just confess her crimes to save herself from the aftermath of this disaster. The consequences of that would at least be much shorter for her to have to deal with.
Her head was in her hands when the sound of footsteps reached her ears. She looked up, about to cry out in relief and greet Gavril and Marcella, who surely came to check on her and help her, but it wasn’t them.
It was Nikias instead.
