Page 47 of The Prince's Mage

She didn’t even question his lie. He helped Marcella up and onto the horse, trying to push down the turning in his stomach at how she hadn’t even hesitated to believe him. For so long he’d craved her trust and now he was abusing it because he was a coward.

Still… Marcella was smiling.

Gavril looked back at the front of the academy…

He could not help himself.

He was a creature who hoped as easily as he breathed.

Chapter17

MARCELLA

Getting out of the palace to get a better idea of the layout of the city was a useful step for Marcella even if not the most important one. She was going to need a way out if she succeeded in catching Nikias, and her memory of the night Gavril almost escaped with her was hazy, but when they’d ridden to theacademieshe spotted a few things that seemed familiar. She remembered where they had ended up; she just needed to make sure she had the path to it memorized.

Purposefully slipping away from Gavril’s side to time how long it took him to notice had been a more important step. His terrified expression when he realized she was gone kept her awake that night.

It also meant she was wide awake when his nightmares hit. She ran her fingers through his hair as he crushed her to himself while he murmured in his language. She didn’t know what was worse, comforting him when she had deliberately made things worse to further her impending betrayal or not doing anything at all.

She understood now. When he’d objected so strongly to her trying to insist on using a silencing rune. That he wanted to know when she was struggling. She couldn’t stay on the other side of the door when it was him either.

But it didn’t change anything. It was just going to make it harder.

But before she could even destroy him, there was still a lot more she needed to do.

She needed to figure out how she was going to capture Nikias without getting caught.

Especially since Gavril sent him running any time he did appear.

And it had only taken him two minutes to realize she’d slipped away earlier.

The day after their visit to theacademie, Marcella and Gavril, to her surprise, were the first in the library. Gavril blinked but didn’t say anything and just set about getting started.

Marcella took her seat, and a few minutes later, Aimilia came storming in, carrying the tea set—that’s what Aimilia had called her strange pitcher and cups—with cheeks as red as her hair and muttering about Nikias.

She set the tray on the table with a rattle that sent one of the empty cups toppling over as Gavril said, “Do I—talk to him—”

Aimilia waved her hand. “—get under my skin—”

Gavril raised an eyebrow. “—clearly working—”

Aimilia huffed as she sat down. “He called me in—his study this morning—thought maybe—end to my—duties—just him—throwing weight around—intimidate—”

“Study?” Marcella said the Inimicus word like she didn’t know what it meant.

Gavril leaned over and said in her tongue, “A room with a desk, books, just for working.”

She’d been hoping for more specific information about Nikias’ study. Like… where it was.

A room Nikias spent a lot of time alone in? That would be the perfect chance for Marcella to capture someone who could not fight back against her.

Only… if she deviated from the path she and Gavril took to the library or the entryway of the palace, she would be completely and utterly lost.

If she even could slip away from Gavril.

But Gavril and Aimilia continued discussing whatever had happened in her meeting with Nikias before setting to their work.

Marcella needed to know where that study was.

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