Page 133 of The Prince's Mage

She glanced down the table and grinned. “If not Gavril, I want someone of equal rank. One of your commanders, but they must volunteer themselves. No ordering them about. I want a willing sacrifice.”

The silence was deafening.

Hypatia leaned forward, licking her lips. She whispered, “If you all want peace so badly, you’re going to have to be willing to suffer for it.”

The commanders, who had done a decent job staying calm and collected throughout the dramatic proceedings all paled and started looking at each other and Nikias.

“I’ll do it.”

Marcella choked on her gasp. Gavril’s horrified expression throughout all of this only deepened as Aimilia finished rising from her seat, brushing her commander’s cloak off and lifting her chin with a quiet, noble apprehension.

Aimilia said, “You want a willing commander to take Gavril’s place and seal this treaty? I’ll do it.”

Hypatia took one look at the other commanders and smirked as she leaned her chin into her palm. “Really? Brave girl you are. Must sting you’re willing to be tortured for him and he still chose my little lookalike over you, huh?”

Marcella had no idea if that had been something Hypatia had guessed or had seen with her Sight, but the how didn’t matter. Could Hypatia ever just stop sinking her claws into something after she’d already caught it?

“Aimilia, don’t—I’ll do it.” Gavril called out, struggling against his guards. “It’s fine, no one needs to take my place! I’m willing! If it’s my blood for peace, I will pay that price!”

Marcella was frozen in place. She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t let them torture Gavril, but she also couldn’t let it be Aimilia. Especially after everything she had risked for them.

Aimilia’s hands were shaking despite the serenity the rest of her was pouring out, but she let out a little laugh. “Come on, Gavril, we both know I’m better suited for it anyway. You cried like a baby when I broke your arm years ago. Besides, if Marcella can survive it, so can I.”

But Marcellahadn’t.And no one could know.

Aimilia lifted her chin and declared, “I’m second best to no one.”

“Aimilia—” Gavril started again, trying to break past his guards but failing.

Marcella opened her mouth. If revealing her own death and revival was the only thing to convince Aimilia to stop or at least distract from this long enough to figure something else out—

But then Nikias cleared his throat, and everything stilled again. He gave Aimilia a cold, impassive look and said in clipped, deliberate words, “Sit down, Commander.”

“Prince Nikias, she’s made her terms clear. This isn’t going to end. I am willing. I—” Aimilia took a deep breath. “Trust me. I have to do this. I want to do this.”

Nikias glared at Aimilia, something shifting in his eyes. “Did I not speak clearly? Sit down, Commander.”

Aimilia lifted her chin and shook her head. “Someone has to do this.”

“And it will not be you.” Nikias rose from his seat so he was taller than her. He loomed over her, exuding authority, but there was something hiding behind his eyes Marcella could not decipher. His voice was controlled, barely, as he commanded, “Sit. Down. Or I will sit you down.”

Aimilia opened her mouth once more, but Nikias only narrowed his eyes further. She snapped her jaw shut, but he kept staring at her until she slowly sat down. Once she was in her seat, Nikias nodded and turned back to Hypatia, straightening his shoulders.

Hypatia’s lips were twitching, the unbalanced look in her eyes deepening.

His cold impassivity returned, and whatever he’d been restraining before had vanished. He said, “It will be me.”

What?

Marcella sucked in a sharp breath, unable to tear her eyes away from Nikias but she could see Hypatia out of the corner of her eyes. Hypatia leaned forward and a grin broke out over her face. “Oh?Will it?”

Nikias didn’t so much as blink at the glee seeping into her voice. “You want someone willing, a commander, someone of equal rank to my brother? I am the only option by those standards. You’re doing this because you want blood. You wantmyblood. You will not be satisfied with less. Take it if it will buy peace.”

“An offer like that, how can a girl refuse? Of course, unless, I prefer the girl.” Hypatia’s eyes landed on Aimilia. The red-haired girl just lifted her chin and met Hypatia’s gaze. “I like her guts. Takes a lot of spine. Takes a lot oflovefor a man who cast her aside for another woman to still make that offer.”

Nikias’ jaw clenched, but he did manage to work it loose enough to say, “You will take me. Or no one. I’m the one you wanted anyway when you sent that first raven to your lookalike. When you said prince, you didn’t mean Gavril. You meant me. I’m giving you what you want. Take it. Coat this peace in my blood.”

“The fight will find you. It is not done with you. Or me.”

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