“I just needed a good night’s sleep. Honestly, I could go again right now. Do we have another fifty children who need saving?” Aimilia’s laugh was hollow to her own ears, but the only resistance she got was a raised eyebrow from Gavril as he saw right through it.
But he didn’t question her on it either.
Aimilia didn’t know where to begin quantifying her feelings right now toward him. She didn’t know if she’d ever be able to figure it out, given she didn’t even know if she should tell him she knew Nikias’ secret. She could hardly confront him about the fact that he’d let her believe Nikias wasn’t being abused without revealing: one, that she knew and two, how she found out.
Not to mention, it wasn’t like she and Gavril had actually had many real conversations about the way his parents treated him over the years. Gavril had always shut down any attempt of hers, and she let him, not wanting to push him too far, desperate to keep him. It was always more of an unspoken understanding. They both knew and they both acted accordingly. What more was there to say?
“I was told—via note, not in person, he couldn’t seem to make time for such a visit—that you were coming with us now. Has he been bothering you the last few days?” Gavril’s eyes skimmed over the courtyard, but he wouldn’t find him. Nikias hadn’t made his appearance yet.
“I can honestly say no.” Aimilia glanced over her shoulder, reaching for the ring on her finger. “I haven’t seen him since being informed I’d be on this trip as well.”
For the first time in her life, she actually wanted to see him.Wantedmight not be the right word, but she couldn’t think of anything else. There wasn’t a word for the messy situation she’d waded right into. She had no idea what she’d say, but at some point, she’d have to figure it out.
“Do not be overly rough—” Marcella paused and furrowed her brow.
“Harsh. You mean harsh,” Aimilia supplied.
Marcella nodded, turning back to Gavril. “Do not be overly harsh. The ground fell. We were attacked. Now he has to see Hypatia again. You are mad I was right.”
“You’re only partially right,” Gavril said, rolling his eyes. “He might still be trying to marry Aimilia, but it’s only because his wounded pride won’t let him give up.”
Nikias’ wounded pride…
Aimilia hadn’t even been thinking of that. Her stomach dropped, and her fiddling with the ring stilled. What were the consequences of her discovery going to be?
The doors to the palace opened, and Nikias came striding out right as dawn broke the horizon.
Aimilia whispered, “I wouldn’t be so sure of that anymore.”
Nikias’ eyes skimmed over the small group of Runai assembled as his entourage. Aimilia and Gavril were two of the four commanders. Commander Calix stood off to the side, mostly coming as the captain of the guards for the crown, but given he’d also been selected as part of the original entourage to face Hypatia months before, she was willing to bet Nikias valued his insight for this trip.
Commander Calix’s lieutenant would be coming as well, but he was the only other Runai with an elevated position. There were two healers in the party, a little peculiar since standard practice for an entourage of their size would have been one,but remembering who was leading the party and who they were going to see accounted for that.
There’d only been one healer in Nikias’ party the first time he’d encountered Hypatia.
The rest of the party was comprised of guards from the combat track, of varying ages, but Aimilia recognized most of them were Commander Calix’s usual troop.
Nikias went straight for Commander Calix, not even sparing Aimilia, Gavril, and Marcella so much as a polite look.
Gavril immediately turned to Aimilia. “What did you do?”
Her heart jolted, but she covered it with an offended gasp. “Why do you assume I did something?”
Gavril only raised an eyebrow.
“You’re wrong. I didn’t do anything.” Aimilia turned on her heel and went back to her horse. Maybe that was the problem.
She’d sat there and watched. She hadn’t done anything.
But what could she have done that wouldn’t have made it worse?
Aimilia came to a dead stop right before mounting her steed, just staring at the brown leather instead.
Oh. Not only had she been wrong in the facts about it all, but her hatred had been completely unjustified. She was just as guilty as he was.
She hauled herself into the saddle. She owed him an apology she certainly didn’t want to give, and with how he was avoiding her, she didn’t know when she’d be able to give it.
Everyone else started mounting up at Commander Calix’s orders. Nikias didn’t speak at all, just took a position at the front, and they set off with no fanfare.
