She’d deal with him later. She shoved the memory of his arms wrapped around her down as she opened one eye. “Is that really a gratitude-worthy act compared to Marcella coming into a collapsing tunnel system to help me save a bunch of novices?”
Gavril laughed, shaking his head, gaze still straight ahead. Ever the perfect gentleman and friend.
“Are there any more serious injuries, Commander?” the healer asked as he finished Aimilia’s arm. With the rest just being scrapes and bruises, she shook her head.
“No, that was the worst of it. I’ll be alright for now. There are plenty of broken bones that need your attention.”
As the healer finished, Aimilia drew her knees up to her chest. She’d left her cloak in the box before jumping over the railing, and Gavril didn’t have his with him either. Not that she could in good conscience take his, given he was a married man and they had once been supposed to be engaged.
“Want me to take a look at the scrapes and all of that?” Gavril asked.
“I’ll survive. What I would rather have is something to wear so I don’t scandalize everyone when I have to eventually get up. Again.”
Gavril started to lift his hand to wave Marcella over, but then Aimilia’s vision went completely black as fabric fell over her. She quickly grabbed at it, pulling it around her torso and looking upto see Nikias standing above her. She looked down to see she was covered by Nikias’ commander’s cloak.
She looked back up at him and said, “Oh no.”
Gavril’s glare at Nikias had renewed all over again as Nikias smirked.
“Ah, yes,” Nikias said. “Unless you want to walk out of here and cause a much worse scene.”
“I just saved fifty novices almost singlehandedly. I think they can forgive me a little immodesty in the aftermath.” But she didn’t remove the cloak covering her.
“Why mar such an achievement by giving the gossips the opportunity to diminish your accomplishment with talk of how you looked afterwards?”
“If I leave here wearing your cloak, then that’s all they’ll be talking about. Not the fact that I just saved fifty children.”
“Or they’ll be talking about the fact that you saved fifty childrenandleft in my cloak. I fail to see the problem.”
She wasn’t winning this one. Aimilia whipped around and gave Gavril a pointed look. “Do you know your brother has decided who his next wife is going to be?”
“I don’t think I like where this is going.” Gavril looked up at Nikias. “Please tell me this isn’t where I think it’s going.”
Nikias stayed silent, keeping his gaze on Aimilia, huddled beneath his cloak.
She huffed, digging her fingers into the fabric. “Oh yes, he’s delusional enough to think there’s some possibility it could ever be me.”
Gavril started to push himself to his feet, locking eyes with Nikias. “That’swhat you meant when you said you were going to create a new plan?”
Nikias finally pulled his cold gaze away from Aimilia and raised an eyebrow at the blond. “It’s not my fault you didn’t ask any follow-up questions.”
Gavril opened his mouth, but Nikias cut him off. “Be angry later, we need to clear the stadium so they can do official repairs. You need to help get the novices back to the Academy. I need to take Aimilia back to the palace and start skinning whoever is responsible for this.”
Aimilia waved Gavril off. “It’s fine. I’ll survive a little more gossip connecting us. It’s not like it changes the answer he’s going to get when he tries again.”
Gavril still narrowed his eyes at Nikias. “Don’t think you’re going to get away with anything.”
“I’m not trying to get away with anything.” Nikias’ voice was completely frigid. “But maybe you should be a little more concerned with your exhausted wife and the fifty children who are your responsibility instead of the woman you could never bring yourself to marry. Just because you didn’t think she was worth marrying doesn’t mean I agree, nor does it mean I’m giving up.”
Aimilia was starting to think she should have let the last chimera take her just so she wouldn’t have to endure this.
“And here I thought maybe you were capable of changing, but you’re still the same—” Gavril started advancing, but then Marcella was between them, hands on Gavril’s chest, big eyes beneath her wild curls looking up at him.
“Gavril, now is not time.”
Aimilia just stared at the red fabric she was holding to her chest, unable to look at either.
Gavril stepped back, his voice washing over her. “Aimilia, if you need anything, you know where we are. You’re welcome to stay with us tonight.”
