“You claim that you’re proposing to me as—as a matter of honor? You decided to propose to me because Gavrildidn’t?” Aimilia’s voice pitched up. “Like I’m your responsibility? That’s what this was about? To you, I’m some kind of mess Gavril left for you to clean up?”
He clenched his hand into a fist, but it still hovered between them as he shifted. “Do not twist my words.”
“Then what’s the alternative explanation?”
Nikias’ mouth snapped shut, hand pulling back for a moment before he continued, “You are a skilled Runai and commander, of that there is no dispute. You placed first in your class, a feat no female Runai achieved in my class or in the class between ours.”
She rolled her eyes. “Youplaced first in your class.”
Nikias’ arms shifted, spreading wider until they were outstretched and leaving him open as he raised an eyebrow. When she didn’t respond, he scoffed and dropped his hands to his sides. She’d never seen him so animated, well, only when he was losing his mind.
Which he still might be. He could have just gotten better at hiding it.
He pressed on regardless, saying, “You have a personality and temperament well suited to be queen, otherwise I wouldn’t have let you within five feet of Gavril, especially when I planned for him to be my heir.”
“What?” Aimilia sputtered. “You don’t think that! You’ve never thought that!”
“Clearly, you have no idea what I’ve been thinking. You have proven it time and time again; don’t think I wasn’t paying attention. Although you often make it hard to remember since you seem to think being difficult is the same thing as being charming.” He shook his head slightly before catching her gaze again. “Most recently, you sealed my respect for you the moment you stood up and volunteered when Hypatia called for a sacrifice. I knew then you were a woman who would do what’s best for our country no matter the personal cost.”
Aimilia did everything she could not to think about that day. She wrapped arms around her stomach and bit her tongue so hard she could taste blood. He could never know why she’d stood up that day. Not truly.
Or how much it haunted her that she’d sat down at his command and let him sacrifice himself instead.
“I didn’t do it to earn your respect.”
“I know.” He took a soft step toward her. “You did it for Gavril and our country. Do you think I’m a fool? Gavril’s idealism would never have persisted if he didn’t have someone by his side who entertained it. You didn’t let it show, but I know you wanted peace too.”
The hot metallic taste flooded her tongue and she swallowed it like she swallowed her guilt. Nikias had taken from her the chance to pay for her treason. Instead, he let the demon who killed the love of his life torture him, which Aimilia had set into motion.
It was all her fault. And he couldn’t know.
“Given all of that, and the fact that it’s clear House Mitis will soon need a commander to take over, and the odds aren’t in your favor, this is what makes sense.” Nikias gestured again, palm flat toward her. “Being queen suits you far more. Logically, there is no other choice but you. Not to mention your regard for me being evident and how obvious I have?—”
Aimilia failed to hold back her laugh this time, cutting him off as she grabbed her stomach. “Myregardfor you? In what world do I feel anything for you but hatred? Even at our best, I have only been able to look past my hatred of you enough to tolerate you for Gavril’s sake.”
Nikias’ fingers brushed the edge of his cloak again, jaw clenching at Gavril’s name. “Your actions imply otherwise, even if you’re currently denying it with your lips.”
“You’re delusional.” Aimilia shook her head, shifting back. “I have done nothing whatsoever that could lead you or anyone to think such a thing.”
“The last few months since we’ve returned you’ve treated me far better than you ever have before. You mean to tell me you think there is no difference in how you treat me now thanwhen we were younger, just throwing insults at each other as we passed by?”
“I—” Aimilia sputtered, lifting her hand. “Just because I’m not insulting you doesn’t mean I have any affection for you.”
“All that time we spent working together last year meant nothing to you?” His gaze darkened and he came ever closer. “What about the way you grabbed my arm in an attempt to steady me when we faced Hypatia? How you took care of my cloak and returned it to me and when you did, the sight of me brought you to tears? You regularly sob over men you hate being in agony?”
He had been reading her guilty conscience as being in love with him.
“I did what was necessary to get us all through that negotiation. If that meant being nice to you, I swallowed my objections and hatred just long enough for the task. No more.”
Nikias scoffed. “Then explain to me why you saved my life.”
“What are you talking about?”
“When Gavril challenged me. You knew I wouldn’t fight back. That I would let him kill me. You brought Marcella out and had her beg for Gavril to spare my life. You could have finally made Gavril the heir instead of me, but you didn’t. You chose to intervene.” He took another step toward her, eyes burning. “You chose to save my life.”
Aimilia shook her head, stepping back and getting far too close to the fountain again. But this time her voice softened. “You desperate man… I didn’t care if you lived or died. I only wanted your life spared in order to spare Gavril’s. If he killed you, your father would have killed him, line of succession be damned. I didn’t save you. I saved Gavril.”
Nikias stepped back, a flicker of something passing over his face before it vanished behind his marble façade. “I see.”
