Page 71 of The Prince's Captive

This was only going to end with the complete decimation of her people. Or theirs.

“—aren’t corrupted?—her vitae—if it was?”

And why was Gavril talking about her vitae?

“—not fall for your illusion—good at them—risk a true bond with a Sordes—your vitae and blood—not have your blood—attempting—the Desero demon’s—raise a hand—you know it—not the one—idea those savages—reasoned—” Nikias narrowed his eyes. “—withdraw—do—our parents—keep yourlupaoff the tables—this cell—demon’s—better than—do not—I cannot promise our father will—”

Gavril said, “—talk to the healers—saw themselves—withdraw—your terms—clothes—treated with respect—for the moment—arrangement.”

Nikias nodded. “—within my power—brother—warn you—hurt—fool—sooner—destroy—help you.”

“—know anything—her.”

“—do you?—what I know—she hates you.”

“So?” Gavril crossed his arms. “—captured her—bound her—I will—why I—doesn’t mean I’m not going—”

“—careful—cannot have both—Qui totum vult totum perdit.”

Gavril didn’t respond to that.

Nikias shook his head and walked away. “—will come—plea—”

Gavril stood behind his rune wall for a moment before his fingers flew and he banished the rune he’d thrown on the ground. He turned back around and headed toward her.

Now she closed her eyes again and made sure to keep her breathing even. Why couldn’t he just leave with Nikias? Why was he still there?

She heard him kneel on the ground beside her. A hand brushed her shoulder, and it took every ounce of willpower she had not to jerk away, but she failed to stop herself from clenching her hands into the stone floor.

“Marcella? Awake?” he asked in her tongue. She stayed frozen as his hand rubbing her shoulders stilled and he sighed. He then spoke in his tongue again. “—grateful—how much—worse how little—understood.”

Then a hand was shifting her hair out of her face, and his palm rested on the curve of her jaw.

The short breath she took was completely out of her control.

“Marcella?”

His thumb brushed her cheek.

She couldn’t stop herself from trembling. How pathetic.

Then she was being scooped up from the ground and pulled into his arms. He tucked her against his chest as he leaned back against the cell wall, one hand still cradling her face while the other wrapped around her waist.

He murmured in her language, “No nightmares. I am with you.”

The nightmare was the fact that he was still there.

And yet, somehow, she stilled in his arms and he rested his chin against the top of her head and spoke in his language, “Ubi solitudinem faciunt pacem appellant. Spero meliora.”

The hand cradling her head fell away, and his left hand laced its fingers through her left hand, and he rested them both on his chest, over his heart.“Etsi damnant mepte tua oderis, mea uxorem.”

Chapter23

GAVRIL

Leaving Marcella alone in that cell took every ounce of willpower Gavril could muster, but he did it. He had to if he wanted to keep her safe.

He’d promised her. He’d failed her already.

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