Page 99 of Princess of Air

“I assumed if you won, your choice of husband would be him. Quickly. Before they can finalize our betrothal.”

“You assume a lot, Nina.” I rise and pace the room, pulling in deep breaths through my nose, trying desperately to get more oxygen to my heart. “I don’t know if he would even want to marry me.”

An incredulous puff escapes her. “Need I remind you that you are the primary reason he can’t stand the thought of marrying me?”

“That doesn’t mean anything! Of course he couldn’t marry you. He’s bedded your sister, for the gods’ sake! It is not the same as him being in love with me.”

She blinks slowly. “Jamys is no longer an obstacle, yet you haven’t broached the subject with Tomas?”

“No.”

“Why not?” Her pitch skyrockets, and smoke twists off her.

“Because I need to focus today!” An idea which has now been completely ruined. Dead gods.

Flames flicker against Nina’s shoulders, and a frustrated screech is muffled by her sealed lips. “Do I have to do everything? Gods, you two are absurd. He refused me asking for your support in the second trial due to this nonsense, and now, even without Jamys, you’re too stubborn to deal with the situation.”

“I’m not being stubborn! I’m terrified.”

“Of what?” The volume of the conversation reaches a peak, but I can barely find my voice to respond, much less continue the shouting match.

“Of him choosing not to be with me.” Voicing it makes it so much worse. I’ve dwelled on the possibility, but saying it out loud makes it feel real. With the idea out in the open, the first glimmers of loss and dejection grip me. “Before, we had no choice. But what if we do, and I’m not his choice?” A tear spills over my eyelashes, and I wipe it away. “None of this is what I need to be thinking about today.”

“You’d be thinking about it anyway. You can’t go into today with this open-ended.”

“Better to leave it as a possibility than to go in heartbroken.”

“That is not what will happen.”

“Did he say as much?” Hope sparks in my chest.

“Everything was about and for you. You must see that.”

Not enough to bet on it.

A knock on the door draws our attention. Marcus opens it and stands in the doorway. “It’s time to go.”

“Perfect.” I scrub my hands over my face. This is as far from how I intended to go into the trial as possible. “I’m going to be a disaster.”

“No you’re not.” Nina comes to me and rubs my arms. “You’ll be brilliant. You always are. Hence, Tomas is obviously in love with you.”

“Why does it sound like you’re convincing her of that?” Marcus asks.

“Because I am.” She looks at Marcus with wide, incredulous eyes. “She hasn’t spoken to Tomas about any possibility of their future together now that Jamys has died.”

Marcus’ jaw tightens. “Are you saying you may still end up stuck with Tomas?”

“No. Of course not.” She turns her attention back to me. “Because, win or lose, you’ll have time to verify that Tomas does indeed wish to marry you before they have a chance to make our betrothal official. None of this should affect you during the trial.”

She makes it sound so simple, like I can tuck all of this away. “How closely are your powers connected to your emotions, Nina? Because mine are so thoroughly interwoven, I can’t always separate them. This will undoubtedly affect it!”

“Then speak with Tomas before you go in. You can be perfectly euphoric during the trial that way.”

“There isn’t any time,” Marcus says.

“And no guarantee I’d be any better off!”

They both roll their eyes, looking more like twins than usual.

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