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"I know that." Crispus looked back at me for a moment, offering a silent apology. Then he turned to the dragon. "But the wife of a Praetor would be protected just as he is."
He was right, of course. Marrying Crispus would save Aurelia's life. But it still came at me like a knife.
"Is this true?" Atroxia said to Aurelia. "You will marry this boy?"
Crispus stepped forward again. "I have already made her the offer. All she must do is accept."
If I had offered when Aurelia first wanted me to, or at any moment since then, she would have agreed to marry me. But I never said a word. And instead of hating myself for my silence, I should've been happy now, because this was her only chance to live.
Yes, that's how I should have felt.
Aurelia cried out from the crushing pain of the dragon's grip, then said, "Yes, yes, I agree to his offer. I will be his wife."
Atroxia let her fall to the ground. Though a new and different sort of ache had flared within me, I summoned enough magic to give her a cushion as well and immediately ran to her side.
I brushed the hair from her face and whispered, "Are you hurt?"
She tapped her side, at the ribs, and I placed my hand there to give her healing. She ran her fingers over mine. "I'm so sorry, Nic."
"You did what you had to do."
"This isn't what I want. Do you understand that?"
I did. Nothing else would've saved her life, so it obviously had been the right decision. I understood, but I didn't want to.
"Wait for me," I said. "When this is over, I will come back for you."
She arched her back as my magic continued to heal her. "It's too late. The deal's been made." Her words echoed what I'd said to her only four days ago, and they pierced me with sadness.
"Come along." Brutus touched my shoulder before I'd even realized he was speaking. All magic instantly dissolved from within me. I shrugged him off and reached for Aurelia one last time, but he pulled me to my feet. Crispus stepped forward to defend me, but Atroxia let out a growl and he stopped.
Aurelia wasn't fully healed, but she was better than before and Crispus helped her stand. They would protect each other, strengthen each other in ways I could not. As Brutus pulled me away, Crispus took her in the opposite direction. Their hands were clasped together in a familiar way I never had dared with her. They were already together.
"You are ours now, Nicolas," Brutus said. "Every other part of your life is over."
"She cannot force me to make a Jupiter Stone," I said. "I'll let her kill me first."
"Death is not the worst thing she can do to you," Brutus said. "The Mistress always gets what she wants."
The dragon's massive tail swiped Brutus away, then I was snatched up into her claw, the same as she had done to Crispus and Aurelia. More than the pain of it, I became aware of how odd I felt here. She was no Praetor, so some magic had returned to me already, but though I could feel it, I understood the uselessness of my abilities compared to her power.
"The scent of the Malice is nearby," she said. "Tell me where it's hidden."
"I've destroyed it already," I said. "You only detect its memory."
She gave me a squeeze, forcing all breath from me and crushing me in her grip. I cried out, then tried to focus again on creating a storm. If I could direct a bolt of lightning straight at her, it might pierce her thick hide. Would it kill me too, if she was still holding me? I was pretty sure it would.
Above all other ways in which I never wanted to die, lightning was the worst. But Livia was still here, somewhere. If this was my only chance to save her, I would accept my fate as bravely as possible. Or if I died like a coward, I hoped no one was watching.
Brutus saw what I was doing, but rather than take cover from the coming storm, he shouted up to Atroxia, "This is the boy's power, Mistress! See the storm? He can create the Jupiter Stone for you!"
She dropped me to the ground. I landed hard on my side, and I was pretty sure the fall broke my wrist. Yet again. I wouldn't even bother healing it this time. By now, it felt like a waste of magic since my bones were clearly determined to remain in pieces. While gritting my teeth, I moved my arm to my chest and rolled so that with my other hand I could pull the darkest clouds directly over our heads. The growl of thunder echoed throughout Valerius's fields and the first drops of rain began falling. This would be a mighty storm.
Atroxia's tail encircled me and slithered in tighter and tighter. I stood to avoid being crushed, and when I did, for the first time, I saw Livia.
She hadn't gone far from the bushes where she had hidden before. Instead, she was deeper within them and in a cavity of earth where little but her eyes were visible. I suspected that the only reason I saw her was because she had wanted that. And when she held up her arm and I saw the Malice in her grip, I understood her message. She intended to give up the Malice to save my life.
I couldn't allow that. Livia had to understand why.
