Page 146 of The Prince's Mage

Heat started crawling up his neck. “As long as there is someone else in line before you—ideally to our father, multiple people who will inherit before you—that removes you far enough to placate him.”

“But there’s just you.”

Nikias loved his brother, but his idealism and naïveté also blinded him.

“For now.”

He could see the second Gavril finally put the pieces together.

“Wait, you can’t—You’re—No—” Gavril shook his head. He shifted in the saddle and lowered his voice to a hiss. “You’re going to remarry?”

“Yes.”

“You promised to remarry just so I wouldn’t be banished from Areator?”

Nikias couldn’t help but smirk. “That’s what our father thinks. If he’d known I had any notion of entertaining the idea regardless, then it wouldn’t have been an effective bargaining tool. It just solidified my decision.”

“Does this have anything to do with…” Gavril trailed off.

No one had mentioned Hypatia’s torture of him to his face. No one had asked him what happened. Not that he would tell anyone.

Gavril had gotten close the times they had interacted, but he always abandoned it and went back to the work of managing the Runai camp instead.

Just the implication of it sent a deep ache through his chest. Breathing still burned, but he’d gotten used to the feeling. Now it was overwhelming. He hadn’t looked at the wound save to make sure it wasn’t infected. When it was healed and a scar, he never wanted to look at it again.

“The Desero demon’s actions have no influence over my own,” Nikias snapped.

It was a lie.

Gavril wasn’t the only one capable of illusions.

“Nikias, you don’t have to do this. Not for my sake. You—”

Nikias shot his brother a stern look. “It has been four years since Faustina was killed. I had no intention of remarrying before for several reasons, but I know everyone else expected it of me. I was content to have you as my heir. But if remarrying now means you can choose to stay in Areator, then I will.”

“Marcella and I haven’t decided what we’re going to do.”

“I know, but I want you to have this option. The option to work at the academy developing what you’ve already started with your theory and fostering this peace you both have worked so hard for. You’d never see our parents. Besides…” Nikias spotted Aimilia having drifted back slightly in the formation, looking over her shoulder at them with suspicion in her eyes. This was probably the longest he and Gavril had spoken and hadn’t fought in months.

Even if she hadn’t returned his cloak in person, he knew this was true…

“Commander Aimilia would be miserable if you and your wife didn’t come back to Areator.”

“Wait, did Aimilia tell you that when she returned your cloak?” Gavril asked.

So she hadn’t given it to Gavril to return. Which meant…

“Yes, but she didn’t have to. I knew it before she said it,” Nikias said, his grip on his reins tightening. “Anyone who knows Commander Aimilia knows of her deep friendship with you, and I have eyes. I saw how highly she regards your wife and considers her a close friend as well. You didn’t see how miserable she was while you were gone to capture the demon. And that was before she became particularly attached to your wife. Of course she would be miserable without the two of you.”

“And you care that much about Aimilia’s moods that you’re going to remarry?” Gavril raised an eyebrow, a barely restrained scoff in his voice.

Nikias narrowed his eyes. “I also would be miserable without my brother around, but I know very well I have no room to ask anything of you, not for my own selfish sake. So I don’t expect you to consider that at all. Even… though I would greatly appreciate being able to speak to the man who is ten times better suited for my role than I am.”

Gavril nodded, and Nikias could not read what was passing through his mind. All his brother said was, “Well… thank you, for the option. I will discuss it with Marcella. But… if I don’t come back… you’ll still remarry?”

Nikias suppressed a long-ragged sigh. “Yes. Regardless, I am getting remarried.”

He was just hoping he was lucky enough he would be remarrying and not forced to break the vow he’d made after Faustina’s death.

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