Chapter 41 #2
But she could see through the wild mess of Hypatia’s curls hiding her face even as the peals of laughter coming from her lips filled the air. Were the drops of water on her face from the bowl or from something else?
Aimilia couldn’t just leave her like this, but she was far out of her depth. She had to go get one of Hypatia’s people; surely they would know what to do.
But as soon as she rose to her feet, ready to take off, a figure appeared in the haze. Aimilia’s breath caught in her throat.
What would Nikias do if he saw Hypatia like this?
But as he got closer, Aimilia could see his silhouette wasn’t her prince’s. He was shorter and leaner. Not to mention she could see the shape of his hair, the curls in it.
Konstantin.
He cut through the sanctuary with a swift and purposeful stride as Hypatia fell silent. Aimilia looked over her shoulder, and Hypatia was completely still in the pool of water. The slight rise and fall of her chest showed she wasn’t dead.
Thankfully, it didn’t seem Nikias was with him. It was going to be hard enough to explain the situation to Konstantin. The last thing she needed right now was to try and explain herself to Nikias.
As Konstantin reached Aimilia, he gave her a nod and said, “I take it she approached you?”
Aimilia nodded. She gestured to the haze around them. “If I’d known…”
Konstantin shook his head, but didn’t stop. He cut around Aimilia and knelt beside Hypatia. Her eyes fluttered open, and they locked on him.
She whispered, “Konsta…”
Then they shut again. Aimilia studied Konstantin’s expression, his eyes quickly scanning over Hypatia. When he was satisfied, he pulled her up, bracing her against him to hold her in a seated position.
He said in their language, “Hypatia, come on…”
Despite the gentleness in his tone, it was heavy, laced with the glass shards of a broken expectation. Hypatia’s eyes fluttered open again as she leaned against him. “I thought… I thought maybe this time…”
Konstantin narrowed his eyes. Aimilia watched as Hypatia’s grip tightened around the silver band as she looked up at him. He said, “You thought what?—while he was—helping—get to him through her? What is wrong with you?”
It was much easier to translate their words now rather than when Hypatia’s had been chanting and screaming.
Hypatia set up a little straighter, her hand curling into Konstantin. She said, “My world doesn’t revolve around Nikias.”
Aimilia recognized the silver band in Hypatia’s hand.
“I know his future—hers intrigued me. I didn’t force her.”
Surprisingly, Aimilia believed her. Especially since what Hypatia had Seen hadn’t been clear and only helped Aimilia by forewarning her to be careful. No. This had been about something else.
Hypatia had wanted a vision, and she wanted a witness to whatever she had hoped to See. Only, she hadn’t seen it.
Konstantin said, “Then care to tell me what this was about?”
Hypatia’s fingers released the silver band, slowly, as if not to draw any attention to it. Once it was on the ground without a sound, she pointed to the leather bracer where she had thrown it.
“You were—one way. I was trying another.” Then to Aimilia’s surprise, Hypatia leaned her head into Konstantin’s shoulder, slumping against him. “I saw—waste of time.”
Konstantin opened his mouth again but then he just stared at Hypatia as her eyes kept opening and closing, clearly struggling to stay awake. “We will continue this later.”
Hypatia hummed as she slipped into unconsciousness in his arms. Konstantin held Hypatia closer and then turned to Aimilia and switched to her language. “I’m sorry she dragged you into this. You shouldn’t have seen any of this.”
Aimilia took a deep breath, even though the smoke still stung her lungs. “Don’t apologize. She did not force me. I wanted to know. I could not resist knowing even a little about my future. It is a tantalizing prospect.”
Konstantin said, “You don’t have to cover for her.”
Aimilia raised an eyebrow. “Do you think I would cover for Hypatia after everything she’s done?”
Konstantin looked her over and said, “I suppose not.”
“Will she be alright?”
Konstantin nodded, shifting her closer and reaching over to brush the curls out of her face. “She exhausted herself… The incense… Well, once it wears off, she will be fine.”
Strange. Did the smoke from the incense affect Hypatia differently from the rest of them?
With one hand, Konstantin held Hypatia, while the other began gathering up their things. Aimilia picked up her ring and slid it onto her finger. That was when Konstantin spotted the silver band on the ground.
He brushed his fingertips over it. His eyes widened and he looked at all the incense and then the bowl. Then he looked back at the band, and he picked it up.
“She didn’t see anything.”
Konstantin looked up, tightening his grip on the band. “What?”
Aimilia nodded toward the band. “There was no vision, no prophecy, or premonition. She didn’t see anything.”
Konstantin said, “Oh. Well, not even a mage like Hypatia can manage to see something every time.”
Aimilia opened her mouth, but before she could ask him, he nodded toward the exit. “You should go. I’m sure Nikias is wondering where you are. I think we agree it would be for the best if he didn’t know about this.”
Aimilia nodded, pushing herself to her feet. She took a few steps before she looked back over her shoulder. “Konstantin?”
He looked up.
“Moirai. What does that mean?”
Konstantin licked his lips. “It’s our word for fate or the future.”
Aimilia left Hypatia and Konstantin in the sanctuary. When she reached the exit, she looked over her shoulder one last time as Konstantin slid the band back up and onto his bicep.
Hypatia’s pleading echoed in Aimilia’s ears.
“Show me his fate.”
“Tell me he has a future.”