Page 108 of The Prince's Captive

While he objected to her characterization, the fact that she was joking at all was still a victory.

“No, never. I think the stone streets are noisier,” Gavril said, and Marcella relaxed again in his grip. The lilies in his pocket somehow got heavier. He spotted their destination and urged his horse on faster.

Marcella looked back at him before looking at the gates they were approaching. Her eyes narrowed at them. Well, at the Runai guards manning the gate that were eying her just as warily.

Gavril just looked over her shoulder and called out in his language, “Open the gates! That’s an order from your prince.”

The men moved to action without a word, and Gavril rode through. Marcella looked around the empty courtyard and he could see her mind turning behind her neutral expression, trying to work out where they were, why, and how it was Gavril’s favorite place.

Worthless. No one of any value.

The fact that he seemed to be the only one who could see how ridiculous those accusations were was insane. Anyone with eyes and five minutes with her could see just how sharp she was, and that was just the beginnings of her worth.

He swung off his horse first before reaching up and helping Marcella down. When her feet hit the ground, he kept her in his arms for a moment, looking down at her. She just tilted her head and said, “What is this place?”

He grinned. “No word for it in your tongue, but I’ve told you about it. It’s ouracademie.”

Her eyes widened, and she turned, pulling herself out of her grip to look at the large entrance in front of them again. She said, “Your favorite place is where you Inimicus send your children to be trained?”

He stepped up to her, brushing a hand over her shoulder just enough so she started walking with him, as he said, “Of course it is. It got me out of the palace for years.”

Marcella didn’t say anything as he led her inside, but he felt her gaze squarely on him and not taking in the Academy as they walked into the entry hall. Classes were currently in session, so there wasn’t anyone in the entry hall—precisely why he’d chosen this time. Gavril knew this place like the back of his hand. He wasn’t interested in making Marcella a spectacle for the children and adolescents who had never seen a Sordes before.

If the adults at the palace were vulgar and demeaning, then he could only imagine the children would be so much crueler.

He led her up the staircase to the next floor and wound them through the hallways until they reached the library. However, Marcella did her best to take it in as much as possible, head swiveling around while they walked. But there was a softness to her gaze that there usually wasn’t when she was studying a situation. As they stepped inside the library, she muttered, “It is quiet. I thought this place was full of children?”

Gavril gave the librarian a polite nod, but it was completely missed as the old woman just gaped at Marcella. He rolled his eyes and then turned to address Marcella’s question. “Trust me, it gets loud. But they are all in lessons.”

Marcella raised an eyebrow. “But they are still children.”

“Ouracademiehas very well-behaved children.” At her still skeptical expression, he laughed. “And… the youngest have classrooms on the other end away from the library.”

Her lips quirked up for just a moment before she looked around and said, “So why are we in a library?”

“I need a book, what else for?” Gavril said, heading into the labyrinth of shelves.

Marcella trailed behind him. “Fine. Why am I here?”

Gavril wasn’t entirely sure how to answer that in a way that wouldn’t ruin everything. So he kept his eyes focused on the books as he searched for the title he was after. There were several reasons. One of which was he was hoping he’d be able to find a way to broach the topic of the rock with her in a way that wouldn’t make her think he was using her, but also still get some useful information out of her. The other was that the Academy and its library were special to him and he wanted Marcella to see it.

They’d been the best years of his life, not living at the palace.

He could see her out of the corner of his eye, examining him as she pressed on. “Why are you… I do not understand you.”

His fingers trailing over the spine of a book stilled as he looked up and over at her. “What do you mean?”

“Today you bring me just to have me follow you around. But the other day you force me to fight. Then before that you just want to speak. But before that you insult me and goad me.” Marcella shook her head. “I cannot figure out what you want from me.”

He did not want anything from her. He just wanted her.

He wanted her safe.

He wanted her happy, but he knew that was a far-fetched hope. How could anyone be happy trapped in that prison?

He wanted her love. Well, that was more of a hope.

“It is… complicated,” Gavril muttered, turning back to the book and hoping she couldn’t see his hopes in his eyes.

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