Chapter 24
AIMILIA
Aimilia didn’t see Nikias for the next two days. She didn’t see anyone really.
Like a coward, she hid in her room, staying silent and holding her breath even when Cyprian came by.
He was the only one who did. But no amount of him banging on her door or demanding she open it ever moved her to flip the lock.
She left only for the basic necessities, being careful to time it when her uncle wasn’t around. He was painfully predictable.
She received no notes. No summons.
No Nikias.
She didn’t know what it meant.
After Nikias had left her, sweeping away in silence now that she knew his darkest secret, she’d received no updates about what would happen next.
So Aimilia spent her time pacing her room, spinning the ring on her finger as her memories chased her through the space.
And when her legs couldn’t take it anymore, she lay on her bed, hair loose—not bothering with a braid since no one was seeing her—and stared up at the ceiling until her chest grew so tight and all she could see was the glass crashing into Nikias’ face.
The more Aimilia replayed the horrific scene, the realization settled over her like a thick blanket around her shoulders. Nikias had been given an out.
There was only one reason his father had hit him that day.
“No.”
Her tears sprang up all over again. When was she going to run out of tears for him?
She didn’t have an answer. Not for that. Not for anything anymore.
That was the real reason she was hiding. She had no idea what she was supposed to do now.
But, while it might make her life easier if she’d never turned back down that hallway that day, she couldn’t regret it. But she didn’t know what to do with it.
The night before they were supposed to leave, a servant knocked on her door. When Aimilia opened it, she had Aimilia’s commander’s cloak folded neatly in her arms with the engraved clasp with her name on it and a note resting on top of the fine red fabric.
Aimilia tore open the note, heart pounding and throat closing to see Nikias’ handwriting.
All he wrote was:
Be ready at dawn.
It confirmed the one biggest question she had at the moment. Nikias was still bringing her with him.
So despite the confusion that was eating her alive, or maybe because of it, she stood in the palace courtyard, her cloak around her shoulders, bags packed and handing them off to the stable boys who were darting around getting the horses and carts secure for their journey.
They were travelling light so they could move quickly, but not necessarily breakneck speed.
She stood by her horse, absentmindedly rubbing its shoulder while a stableboy checked the saddle for a second time, when she spotted the signature black curls and the gold hair that usually accompanied them.
She abandoned the horse she’d been half-heartedly bonding with to go greet them at the gates.
They all exchanged hugs and Marcella said, “Good to see you up. And with us.”
“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. Wanted might 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.
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.