re still burning

rimson.

same music. The same

ime, Mark

nd wrapped around mine, fing

in, low enough that only

ammed again

he had looked relieve

oked... d

lickered ali

omaly de

reset co

remains

te targe

sn't dr

ad

rn

s back at th

ect oppo

I wouldn'

I wouldn'

"Will you marry me and stand by

d held i

leaned

t romantic. It was polit

ould shape

rst life,

his

my hand

ippled through

k f

verhead, violently out of sync

," I said

s felt p

na

d into whispers.

t. His expression did not t

hatt

e asked

on wasn't f

as f

king at me like he already kn

stem b

viation

path reca

replied calmly. "The empire deserves

word carri

w tigh

he repeat

d, something flic

gnit

he rem

o

as imp

I had

le

ght unse

fully and turned

ed smoothly, voice regaining authority.

ed playing as if no

thing had

I returned to my cha

same

ame b

below that had burn

e and stared at

f

smo

scr

e

em pulse

nal fluctuatio

ion lev

fr

tion

't appear

that mean?"

espo

a low

came at

sharply

of the pa

Lord requests

rse he

I arrived. The room was dimly lit by a si

servants the mo

tretched

ked ex

," he sai

ined the air

dn't

inued, voice rough. "

ach tig

reme

e added quietly. "But the

m felt

er," I said

es

s no hes

loded with sou

ical

y retention

ability co

fingers again

t part of

rk said, stepping closer. "In th

ust a step a

marri

se qui

agreement. But before the first year ended.

ki

i

t m

set the fi

ned. "You think I wo

life, I had s

ed be

discovered

he reme

e mo

e came from

something," Ma

ed near mine b

ree to marry me

balanced o

was sent t

a weapon place

ever intend

, "Why are you a

closed

se you

wer was

evast

," he admitted. "You were dist

urse

for the right

said. "I thought if I treated yo

s voice tre

arget affec

ifficulty

how it was s

meant to

t meant

eant to sound like a man w

t this time?" I

eyes and looke

e said. "No thre

e my hea

tinued, "it will be b

oi

't existed in

g the future,"

replied. "

crackled

rference e

ceeds 60%, mission

o

st tracking

trackin

ack slightly,

e said. "But I won't l

is voice sent a ch

the fire w

hreat was still i

chi

it

protection

ost l

, he would realize he was t

hing was

no longer

longer felt

not be the man sta

udy that night, my

nd c

d mem

at wasn't

hat was slowly

nto the east wing c

s o

from th

dn't been a

this

o find who l