Aimilia rode behind Gavril and Marcella, the rest of the guards surrounding them so there would be no opportunity for conversation about any private or sensitive subjects.
They rode fairly hard as well, which took most everyone’s attention anyway. When the sun started setting, they broke for camp and Commander Calix took charge again, even giving Gavril orders to begin casting illusions to hide them should anyone come upon them.
Aimilia scrambled off her horse and started for Nikias where he disappeared behind the men setting up the tents for the night when Commander Calix caught her, shoving a tent in her arms and saying, “We’re all doing our share here.”
Marcella came up beside her and said, “I will help. Tents I am good at.”
Marcella was right. With her help, they had the tent up within a few minutes. As Marcella started tying one of the last few knots, she waved Aimilia off. “Go do what you need.”
Aimilia tore through the camp, but Nikias eluded her. She nearly crashed into Gavril as she rounded another corner. His hands flew up and caught her by the shoulders. She immediately started to duck around him when Gavril tightened his grip.
“No—Seriously, tell me what’s going on?” Gavril forced her to look at him. “Why are you running around like a madman to talk to Nikias now that he’s finally leaving you alone? Whatever you did worked!”
Fine. She did have a bone to pick with Gavril. She grabbed him by the shoulder and started marching him to a secluded section of camp.
She whispered, “You’re going to wish I found him instead of you.”
“Why? What did I do?”
When they were finally out of earshot of everyone, she pushed Gavril until he sat in the dirt in the shadows of a rosebush that marked the edge of their illusion. Any other time she would take the time to admire them, but she had more important things to focus on than her favorite flowers.
Aimilia sat with her back to the bush so she would see the second anyone approached. Then she swiftly cast a rune to keep anyone outside the immediate circle from hearing them.
Her heart stuttered, and even with the silencing rune, she kept her voice low. “He’s going to be even more upset with me if he finds out I’m breathing a word about this to you, but I need your help.”
“With what?”
Aimilia took a deep breath and locked eyes with her oldest friend. “Gavril, I watched your father break a glass against Nikias’ skull and choke him because he dared to say the word ‘no’ to him.”
Gavril’s face lost all color, and he looked over his shoulder but they were alone. “He—He’s strong enough to do that still? I thought—wait, he did itin frontof you?”
Aimilia shook her head. “I was watching from the secret passageway. It might actually be my fault he was strong enough to do so since I’d been summoned to make my vitae-refreshing tea. But that’s not the point!”
“Aimilia—”
She jabbed her finger into Gavril’s chest. “The point is I know now, and I also know thatyouknew, and for years you let me believe that was only happening to you!”
Gavril shifted back, eyes darting, ready to run like every other time she’d tried bringing it up, but she wasn’t letting it go this time.
“You never asked, and it wasn’t my secret to tell.”
Aimilia scoffed. “You let me hate him because I thought it wasn’t happening to him while he let it happen to you.”
“That was the reason you hated him?” Gavril’s eyes widened before he shook his head and sighed. “I’m sorry, but this isn’t the kind of thing youtellpeople. I especially wasn’t going to tell you about Nikias. That was his secret to tell.”
How could he still be defending this? Didn’t he see? Gavril had had Aimilia to lean on for years while trying to survive it.
Who had Nikias had?
“He was never going to tell if he had his way.” Aimilia glanced over Gavril’s shoulder just to be sure no one had noticed their departure. She turned back to him. “Did you know he never told Faustina?”
Gavril’s brow furrowed. “Wait, really? Never?”
“That’s what he said.”
Gavril let out a low whistle. “No wonder Nikias is avoiding you.”
Aimilia shot him a pointed smirk. “And that’s where you come in.”
