Chapter 43
NIKIAS
Nikias had only taken a few steps when he turned and saw that his actions hadn’t gone completely unnoticed.
Bright hazel eyes lit by brazier fire pierced him in the darkness. Aimilia stood at the edge of the dancers and was watching him. Had she seen the whole thing?
Great. Her witnessing just how bad he was with children certainly wasn’t going to endear him to her. Nikias quickly tore his gaze away and hurried back to his seat.
Maybe she hadn’t seen much. He hoped she hadn’t seen much.
By the time he made it back to his seat, Aimilia had resumed dancing again.
But he could feel her gaze on him as she moved. Nikias didn’t see Konstantin, not until he looked back out at the dancers again. Konstantin wasn’t gone; he’d joined the crowd.
The man laughed and clapped in time to the music with the other dancers, looking lighter and freer than Nikias had ever seen him.
He and Aimilia joined hands for one of the moves, their lips moving, but Nikias couldn’t catch any of the hushed exchange. It probably wasn’t consequential, but he couldn’t help his curiosity.
There was no rush of anger or instinct to get Aimilia away from him.
Even though the man had to be utterly miserable with his own wife, Nikias didn’t detect in him any interest in searching elsewhere for companionship.
Well, other than maybe the fact that the poor man was just looking for a few friends.
Nikias supposed that explained his fast attachment to Marcella.
But then something in the air shifted. Nikias spotted the door opening first.
And then she appeared.
Hypatia.
She simply hovered in the doorway of the house she’d exited. No one else but Nikias had seen her yet. She leaned on the doorframe and watched the dancers in silence. She had a cloak wrapped around her, and the pattern on it matched the pattern on Konstantin’s silver armbands.
Nikias waited, muscles tensed and ready to rush to his feet and intervene should she see Konstantin and Aimilia dancing and be enraged. Hypatia’s gaze never left them.
Nikias had absolutely no idea what the demon could possibly be thinking. Konstantin and Aimilia parted as the next couple started to come down the line. Nikias kept his gaze locked on Hypatia, but her eyes just followed Konstantin.
Nikias didn’t understand. What was she doing just standing there in eerie silence?
If she wanted his attention, all she had to do was step forward and call out. But he didn’t know why she would want his attention.
Nikias didn’t like this. Hypatia was always unpredictable, but this was something else entirely. She hadn’t even noticed Nikias was watching her like a hawk.
It reminded him a little of the banquet following Gavril and Marcella’s second wedding, but that time she had come out, yelling Konstantin’s name and not paying Nikias any attention.
This time, however, she was perfectly silent and still, just watching as he danced with a large smile, his laughter filling the air.
Ever since Nikias had laid eyes on him, this was the first time he’d seen Konstantin truly enjoying himself. Then Nikias finally looked over at Aimilia again, and he saw her wide grin. A chord struck and reverberated through him.
Was that also true for him? Was Aimilia only happy without him?
The dance ended, and Aimilia pulled away before the next one started. She came and dropped into her chair again next to Nikias, out of breath and grinning. She said, “I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun dancing before. Our dances are nothing compared to this.”
Nikias focused on Aimilia. If Hypatia wasn’t going to move, then he didn’t have to concern himself with her.
He said, “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”
It was good to see her smile and laugh, and Nikias imagined she wouldn’t be doing much of that after they left.
“I am, but before I can do any more, I must catch my breath.” She reached over and grabbed Nikias’ arm. “When I have, you’re coming with me.”
Nikias blinked. “I am?”
Aimilia nodded. “You’re not going to spend the entire night sitting here by yourself. The least you could do to thank these people for their hospitality is enjoy yourself.”
“I think we’d all enjoy it more if I didn’t. I’m not a good dancer.”
Aimilia laughed. “That’s why I like their dances. You don’t have to be good. You just have to enjoy yourself.”
As she spoke, Nikias kept glancing over toward Hypatia, waiting to see if she would move.
Finally, Aimilia followed his gaze and her breath caught in her throat.
Konstantin had noticed her finally because at that moment, he reached her standing in the doorway.
The two of them entered a hushed conversation.
Aimilia was still huffing for breath, but she pulled on Nikias’ arm and said, “Come on, let’s go. I’ll tell you the steps.”
Nikias let her drag him to his feet and out to the dance floor. It was perfect timing on Aimilia’s part as Konstantin started escorting Hypatia over to the table where he’d set aside a plate for her. The gesture to anyone else would look simply sweet, like a loving husband should.
But Nikias knew there could be no love for that creature.
So that begged the question, why was Konstantin helping her?
What had Hypatia done that afternoon to leave her in such a state that she would even need his assistance?
The next song started, and it was a slower one. Aimilia pulled him toward her, turning them so Nikias could no longer see Hypatia. All he could see was Aimilia.
Aimilia hurriedly rushed him through the steps, but it seemed simple enough. This one was a pair dance, so Nikias only really had to focus on moving in time with Aimilia.
It involved a few spins and turns and twisting around each other, and Nikias recognized a few similarities between it and one of the popular dances amongst the court. Aimilia gestured at him and said, “See? The one time you’re modest about your skills when you really have no right to be.”
Nikias shook his head. “You just happened to choose an easy dance.”
Aimilia’s hands found him for the next move, and she squeezed them as she stepped closer.
She took their hands and shifted them out so they could close the distance between them and turn in a circle.
Aimilia’s hair brushed his cheek and her lips just barely avoided his ear as she whispered, “I’m not just talking about the dance. ”
Nikias said, “I have no idea what else you could be referring to.”
“I saw what you did for that little girl. I had no idea your healing had improved that much.”
“Some things can change.” Nikias couldn’t help but lean his head in closer. “Some people can change.”
They finished the turn and Aimilia pulled back, looking up at him with light entering her eyes.
She’d only ever looked at him like that before in his dreams.
“I know.” As they moved into the next steps, she said, “I can’t believe you even noticed. I didn’t until you were already over there.”
Nikias said, “Well, as much as I’d like to, I can’t stare at you all night. No matter how beautiful or tempting you make the prospect.”
Her cheeks flushed a bright red, and she ducked her gaze. Nikias couldn’t help his smirk.
“It was good of you. That’s all I’m saying. It didn’t go unnoticed. Your actions as of late, healing that girl, saving my life, I just want you to know…” Aimilia looked back up at him. “It hasn’t gone unnoticed.”
There was a significant weight to her words.
What did she mean?
Dare he hope?
Was she admitting that he’d finally found his way into her heart? Did he have a hope of hearing a yes the next time he asked? Was she getting closer and closer to saying those three words Nikias was absolutely desperate to hear?
“I’m not doing it for it to be noticed.”
“That’s exactly why I have noticed.”
“I know I’ve said it already, but let me say it again, I am sorry.”
Aimilia let out a soft laugh. “For which thing are you apologizing for again?”
Nikias said, “For being the reason you didn’t get to see your grandfather one last time.
I can’t express to you how much I regret not giving you that chance.
But I also need you to know that I really thought your grandfather had more time and that things weren’t so dire.
You don’t have to forgive me, but I need you to know I genuinely believed you would see him again.
Aimilia, I would do anything you ask of me in order to make it up to you. ”
Aimilia released his hands and stepped back, in accordance with the dance, but Nikias was desperate to take her hands in his again.
“I appreciate that, Nikias. I really do.” As they moved through a few more steps, Aimilia watched him, and then she said, “I know what you said when I asked last night, but… there has to be more. You don’t…
You don’t endure what you have just because you thought I cared a little once.
Why do you want to marry me so badly you’ll endure my multiple rejections and even take beatings in order to do so? ”
Nikias’ heart jumped into his throat. He could tell her. She was swinging open the door, and Nikias could walk through it and tell her everything.
Would that really be so bad?
If he did it now, would it still end with his name on her wrist as she stared at his scar and told him just how unlovable he was?
This Aimilia didn’t look at him the way that one had in the vision. Had he finally changed the future? Dare he risk confessing his love first?
He felt her presence, even just in the air. Nikias turned as part of the dance. He saw Hypatia sitting with Konstantin at the table, slowly picking at her food, but mostly just staring at her husband with that same indecipherable expression.
He caught Aimilia’s gaze and whispered, “Isn’t it obvious?”
Could she not see it written all over him? At this point wasn’t his adoration of her as plain as day?
Aimilia shook her head slightly. “Would I be asking if it was?”
“Then my answer is this: because being married to you is worth enduring whatever it takes in order to get there.”
The dance finished, but Aimilia didn’t pull away from him. She only shifted closer. She looked up at him, a tenderness and awe in her gaze. She said, “You can’t really mean that.”
Nikias said, “And what makes you say that? Of course, I mean it. Would you like me to sing your praises again?”
Nikias reached forward, gently brushing his fingers over the loose pieces that had fallen from her braid before reaching down and running his thumb over the woven strands.
“Would you like to hear me tell you how often you take my breath away? Do you want to know how often I have to fight every urge in me to sink my hands into your hair and untangle all your braids until I can see your hair loose and free? Maybe I ought to tell you then how you haunt my dreams. Or maybe you would like to hear about how it drives me mad being in your presence, but not being lucky enough to hold you. That even right now, I am so completely and utterly bewitched by your beauty that I’m trying not to fall to my knees and beg you simply just to kiss me again. ”
Aimilia’s lips parted, which only strengthened the burning, desperate desire Nikias had just admitted to.
She whispered, “Is that all really true? Do you really think I’m that beautiful?”
Nikias couldn’t stop himself from taking her waist in his hands and pulling her close.
“Of course, it is. I’ve thought you were beautiful long before I ever even thought to marry you.
It certainly isn’t the only reason I would have you, if you would let me, but it certainly adds to my torment that you won’t take me. ”
She let out a soft, whispered, “Nikias…”
This was almost exactly like a vision from one of his many dreams that Aimilia had haunted over the years.
Her standing in front of him, cast in a beautiful glow while she stared up at him and with a tenderness in her eyes he’d only ever seen her show his brother before, lips parted.
Aimilia’s hands curled into his cloak. She pushed herself up and Nikias’ breath caught in his throat.
Was she actually about to kiss him?
Did she actually love him? Or was he just seeing what he wanted to see, like he had time and time?
Did she love him, or did she just want him?
Nikias wouldn’t be able to survive it if she only wanted him. It wasn’t enough.
So Nikias shifted a step back, and Aimilia froze. She stared up at him, eyes widening, and her expression shifted in a moment. Her skin began to pale, and Nikias held onto her waist, keeping her from bolting.
“There is nothing I want more in this moment than for you to kiss me, but I’m going to have to beg of you to wait just a little longer.”
Aimilia said, “Wait?”
“Your grandfather just died. Only yesterday you nearly died, and myself as well. When you do kiss me, I don’t want there to be any doubt in my mind or yours that you’re doing it because you want to, and not because you’re grieving and sad and lonely and I just happened to be there.”
Aimilia pulled her hands back and the horror eased. That soft, tender look returned. She ducked her head, blushing. “I appreciate that.”
Nikias pulled his hands back, palms burning, and every instinct screaming at him not to let her go. “Believe me… it’s absolutely not because I don’t want to kiss you right now.”
Aimilia’s blush deepened and she stumbled back, gesturing. “I should—I should get some water.”
Nikias watched her go, hoping he did the right thing. He couldn’t risk misreading her and ending up taking advantage of her being in a vulnerable state.
If that wasn’t reason enough in and of itself, it would also surely doom him to the fate Hypatia had seen.
Nikias was done for the night. As he left, he spotted Hypatia and Konstantin, still sitting at the table. Hypatia had reached over and was clutching Konstantin’s arm with one hand. She had her head resting on his shoulder. Her eyes locked in on Nikias for the first time that night.
Nikias met her gaze and simply raised an eyebrow.
She wasn’t going to win.
Her cursed vision would never come to pass.
He could feel just how close Aimilia was, and Nikias would not let her slip from his grasp again.