Page 50 of The Prince's Mage

It mattered. Marcella needed to be completely certain because she needed to know where all the stairwells were to ensure she took the right one in her escape.

“Contra?”

No. It couldn’t be to the stairwell because the stairwell was—

“Marcella!Contra?”

Marcella stumbled to a stop as Aimilia jerked her by the arm, and she realized she’d failed to answer. Right.Contra… It was… Uh… Her mind still hadn’t fully shaken off the haze that lingered over it and all of her, keeping her weak even months after Gavril had gotten her off the table for a second time.

“Against. Opposite.”

The voice that spoke was distinctly male and heavily accented as it butchered Marcella’s language worse than Gavril ever had.

Marcella’s spine went rigid even though she couldn’t see him. Aimilia’s eyes narrowed over Marcella’s shoulder, stepping closer and putting a hand on her shoulder as she spoke in the Inimicus tongue. “Nikias—rude—I wasn’t asking you.”

Marcella took a deep breath. He could not harm her. His arm was still broken. Apparently one of the ways he was trying to prove his sincerity to Gavril was letting it heal the long, painful way, unassisted by their heretics. And even if it wasn’t, he had a binding vow not to hurt her.

She needed to figure out how she was going to hurt him though. And her slow, painful recovery was just eating away time she was certain she didn’t have. Any day Hypatia would have her coalition army finalized. When Hypatia wanted something, nothing could ever truly stop her.

“I wasn’t trying to be rude—answering—she didn’t.”

Marcella started to slowly turn her head to look over her shoulder, but before she finished, she was jerked forward. She stumbled as Aimilia quickly put herself in front of Marcella and faced Nikias. Marcella peered around the red-haired girl to see Nikias standing a few feet away. The few times she’d seen him after the table, he hadn’t worn black. Not once.

His gaze shifted between Marcella and Aimilia.

Aimilia bit out. “What do you want?”

Nikias sighed. “—are predictable, Commander—looking for you. Actually, I was heading—room.”

If Nikias had come from the hallway they were walking down… had he been coming from his study? Were they close?

“Why?” Aimilia’s eyes narrowed. “—know everything that happens in this palace—think that because she’s with me—”

“You’re a hard woman to get a moment with lately—academie—library—don’t take kindly—summoned—no interest in thelupa—just you.”

Aimilia let out a bitter, scoffing laugh. “—harass me about today?”

Nikias’ lips twitched up in a sharp smile. Marcella stayed perfectly still. The less attention she drew the better. But she still needed to know where that study was. She wouldn’t have been strong enough to be able to take out Aimilia even before her ordeal on the table. Marcella could still taste dirt.

So her only option was to locate the study. As soon as she had, she could figure out when Nikias would be in it and how to get away from Gavril long enough to capture Nikias.

Getting the Heart would be easy enough since it was being kept in the library.

“My mother, actually—hearing about your tea—try it—”

“Fine—go—or I’ll tell Gavril you came to harass Marcella.”

Nikias didn’t run away necessarily… but he certainly didn’t walk away leisurely.

Marcella needed to know, so as soon as Aimilia turned back to her, she risked the question. “Come from study?”

Aimilia looped her arm through Marcella’s and started pulling her in the opposite direction of Nikias. “Yes, he practically lives there—has for the last four years—Probably—has the servants or guards—every move—testing limits. Do not worry. Safe with me.”

That gave Marcella enough to work with.

The real question was: how late did Nikias work in his office?

Marcella’s best chance at getting away from Gavril long enough to accomplish this was going to be at night. She’d successfully gotten up to twelve minutes at the academy, but outside of her walks with Aimilia, she hadn’t gotten even a single minute inside the palace.

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