His Shield and His Sword (BoyxBoy)

Stars in His Eyes

Authors Note: Idk if anyone wants some aestheticy music to listen to while reading this chapter but if you want a song to put you in the mood here's what I was listening to while proof reading.  Enjoy chapter 22 :D

Nicky's PoV

My life was falling apart. Everything I stood for...everything I had ever believed in had been a complete fucking lie. I sat in the back of the room now, trying to act like I was paying attention in the meeting Mikhos had called. He stood there, Gani to his left as he talked to us about something that had happened earlier today. Something about a village maybe? I wasn't really listening. Honestly the time spent throughout the day since I had found out the truth about Edgar and Mikhos had just faded into one long chaotic blur. It was all I could think about. What the fuck was I supposed to do now? Serving Edgar had been all my life had revolved around for years and years. I had been weighing my options. I could tell Mikhos about Edgar's plot and be executed for it...I could not follow through with killing him, then who knew what would happen to Edgar's rebellion. Maybe when the rebellion started I could try to sneak Mikhos out...tell Edgar he was dead and then go join him in hiding. Then there was the final option, stick with the plan and go through with killing Mikhos. That last thing...I knew I couldn't do it. I had no idea how I even had contemplated the idea of it before. How the fuck could I kill him? I probably looked like shit at the moment, I could hardly put together enough words to make a coherent sentence any time someone even tried to speak with me.

"And so in short I'm not going through with the marriage." That snapped me back to reality. The other boys were nodding in agreement.

"Good call," Sullivan said, crossing his arms. "It was wise of you to explore the town first to examine its actual state. Only you would have thought up something like that." Kissing Mikhos's ass at every turn, good to see Sullivan easily still fell back into his old part of the 'Emery entourage' habits. Mikhos nodded.

"You are all my consultants. You all believe this is a good idea, Munny? Aubin?" Both boy's bowed their heads in agreement. His gaze finally fell to me now. "Nicolai?" I shrugged in an attempt to act casual, desperately trying to put enough of the pieces of myself back together again before I spoke so no one would notice anything was wrong.

"Yeah."

"So then we're all in agreement. Tomorrow I will inform the sultan Jaasim that we will be returning home...alone. You are excused." The Kingsmen stood up one by one and filed out of the room. As I went to stand up a hand grabbed my wrist.

"Wait." I didn't even look at Mikhos when he said it, hell I hadn't been able to meet his gaze since he told me what Edgar had done to him out of fear that he would be able to read me. We were alone now, and the room was empty. He obviously could sense something was off with me.

"What is it?" I said slowly. "It's late...I should go to bed." I doubted I would even be able to fall asleep tonight but maybe...just maybe he would buy it.

"You can go to bed in a moment. I want to show you something."

"I really should...I should go back..."

"Nicky..." he stepped in front of me suddenly tilting my chin up with a finger so I was forced to meet his gaze. I could see him searching in it, he probably knew all along I was falling apart. "Nicky please just...come with me." Finally I gave up, bowing my head in defeat.

"Alright."

"Good, follow me." Mikhos guided me through an empty hallway off the main chamber and up a narrow, winding set of stairs. "I discovered this the other night, I thought you might like it." Finally we reached the top of the stairs and stepped out into the warm night air and onto what appeared to be part of the roof. I was confused for a moment.