Mother narrowed her eyes. “He’s not as close to death as you think, son. This will be over, and when we get back to Areator, you will have to suffer the consequences of your defiance. If you do not marry, your father will have your magic bound and you will be no better than a Solitus.”
His father might be bedridden, but there were plenty of Runai who would heed his command over Nikias’. Being held down and having his magic bound so he could no longer access it was a very real possibility.
It would also be the scandal of the century. He would never be king if so.
It was just a bluff. They couldn’t afford to remove Nikias from the line of succession.
They needed him.
“He’s welcome to try. It doesn’t change my answer. I will sooner live the rest of my life without my magic before I ever marry a woman that’s not Aimilia.” Nikias took a deep breath. “And it is thanks to my actions I will never marry Aimilia. She bears no blame here.”
“You expect to love her all the rest of your life? The same way you claimed you would love Faustina? How quickly would that fade this time if Aimilia died?”
Nikias shot up, necklaces slipping from his grip and falling to the ground. He towered over his mother for the first time in his life. She could do whatever she liked to him, but Nikias had made a promise to Aimilia, and he’d meant it. His voice was low, calm, scraping the air as he said, “If you even think of laying a hand on her, you will see how well hidden in me my father’s nature is. Do not think you are exempt.”
Mother only raised an eyebrow. “I only meant that she is a young commander. Commanders die every day. At some point she will too.”
Nikias said, “Then I will love her until I follow her into the grave. I will not love anyone else. There will not be a second of my life where she is ever unloved by me. I don’t need her to be mine for that.”
Mother said, “I see. You are a man who stops at nothing when you are in love. There’s something admirable about that, or there would be, if it had worked for you.”
“I need to go. I have to go get my men and secure the trail. And tomorrow, we will celebrate when Aimilia wins and becomes the next Head of House Mitis. I expect you will have a smile on your face.”
“Nikias, I don’t care if she’s happy.” His mother’s eyes darted to the ground for a moment before she stepped closer, reaching out and holding his arm. “But for you? I will do it. Whatever will make you happy.”
Nikias swallowed his laugh as he stepped out of her grip and headed for the door. Like she cared whether or not he was happy. He just hoped he could find and dismantle whatever trap she had.
Ensuring Aimilia had a fair shot was all Nikias could do now. Once this was over, he would have to learn how to let go of the woman he loved.
The last time he’d let go had been with a handful of dirt as the casket went under.
Chapter 61
AIMILIA
Aimilia didn’t sleep the night before the final trial.
She couldn’t.
All night she was haunted by Turpis’ words, and the feeling of Nikias kissing her against that wall.
When she was lucid and staring at the moonlight coming in through the window, all she could think about was the fact that Turpis knew something.
He’d found outsomething.
And now it was lost to Aimilia. Queen Clelia was going to try again tomorrow, and Aimilia was completely clueless as to what it would be.
Outside of Hypatia’s vague premonition of an explosion. Which didn’t bode well for Aimilia.
Nikias had taken her one ally and ripped it from her hands. It was very possible that Aimilia wasn’t going to be able to save herself this time. For all that Nikias acted like he wanted to marry her, he certainly didn’t seem to want it enough to stop his mother.
When dawn came, Aimilia was already up and dressed. As she stared at her reflection in the mirror, Aimilia didn’t knowwhen this was all over if she was going to thank Hypatia or curse her. Aimilia supposed it depended on how this all ended.
She might not get the chance for either.
She finished pinning her braid into place when a knock sounded on her door. She called out, “Who is it?”
She really wasn’t in the mood for any lies from Nikias’ lips or any more insults from Turpis.
