Page 65 of The Prince's Mage

She-wolf.

Huh.

She’d expected something worse. That was… actually almost a compliment. Wolves were powerful, vicious creatures. Did his people really hate wolves that much?

Before she could ask if there was something she was missing, the sound of someone clearing their throat had Gavril immediately stiffening. Apparently he recognized who it was just by that sound alone.

Oh.

Marcella turned around to see it was his father and mother walking up to them. Her heart started pounding in her chest at the sight, and out of the corner of her eye she could see how pale Gavril had gotten and how well he was hiding everything he was feeling behind a cold, emotionless mask.

She stepped closer, letting his cloak hide her left arm as she slid it down so she could lace their fingers together. Gavril immediately squeezed her hand so tightly she half-feared he might break it.

“Gavril.”

She’d forgotten what his father sounded like. She’d thought Nikias was bad? Not compared to this.

He sounded like the Abyss.

Void. Empty.

“Father. Mother.”

Gavril sounded like him when he spoke. She hadn’t heard him sound like that before.

His father spoke, “For months now—insulted—ignoring every event—required as a prince, including one in your honor—finally appear—insult them further—bringing yoursordidus lupadressed up—in their faces?”

“The only insult here is the way you and everyone else treats her—mea uxoremis not welcome—I am not welcome. If they take offense to—not my concern—won’t be long.”

Gavril started to back away, pulling Marcella with him, but the queen’s face darkened at that. She started to reach for Gavril’s other arm. All Marcella saw in that moment was his black eye and all she heard was his humiliated, broken voice when he’d admitted where it had come from.

And then she was shoving the queen away, standing between Gavril and his mother, barking in their tongue, “Do not put hands on him!”

The queen’s eyes narrowed as she took Marcella in. Gavril immediately grabbed Marcella by the shoulders and pulled her back out of arm’s reach. She could feel him shaking against her when her back brushed his front.

She just kept glaring at his mother, silently daring her to try it.

His father’s jaw was half-clenched as he spoke, “Boy. Control yourlupa.”

Marcella could feel everyone’s eyes on them. They were all watching, waiting.

His mother started to step forward again, this time reaching for Marcella, but as Gavril started to pull her back, another hand landed on the queen’s shoulder and a voice that haunted her nightmares said, “Peace, Mother, do not fault her—loyallupa.She is not worth the effort—discipline her—creatures can’t be tamed—Let Gavril have his pet mage—pretend—grow old—He will tire eventually.”

Nikias could only hold the queen back with one hand while the other was still in the sling. The queen huffed and turned to him. She lifted her left hand and brushed it over Nikias’ cheek. What surprised Marcella the most about the motion was how her sleeve rode up and Marcella caught sight of black lines on her wrist and a leather band with a metal piece similar to the one Marcella and Gavril had.

But Marcella couldn’t focus on that right now.

The queen looked at Nikias with so much warmth and love Marcella wondered if somehow she’d been replaced by a different person as she said, “I do not know how we went so right with you and so wrong with him. Howfortunacould be—to you and yet favor him. I cannot—look at him and hislupaa moment longer.”

Marcella stiffened and opened her mouth again to tear into this woman for even being capable of thinking their ridiculousfortunahad ever favored Gavril over Nikias. Before she could, the king was speaking, his eyes on her open mouth. “Nikias, son, please take care of this before thelupa—your brother embarrasses you and this family more—returned to Areator with her.”

“Of course, Father, it will be done.”

The second Nikias moved, Marcella was swept behind Gavril and he was saying, “Yes, brother, please, escort us away.”

This was one way to get Nikias alone at least.

Nikias sighed and started to lead the way. Marcella tried to walk beside Gavril, but he stubbornly always put himself in front of her as they wove their way through the Inimicus nobles, all tittering behind their hands at the altercation. When Marcella looked closer, she saw even more lines and leather bands on left wrists.

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