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He turned away, groaning "It’s not necessary"

"Not necessary? Not necessary" I grabbed his arm and made him turn back tofine hat he’s got going on in the training hall I’ve seen his notes"

"His notes! So you’ve seen how every tis, I practically go into a co pain! And you think this is okay?"

"Like he says, you just need to exercise it"

"Are you kiddinga few deep breaths "It starts hearts" I held up my hand "What if it can turn a vampire back to a human?"

"I don’t know if I believe in that anymore, Ara"

My eyes welled with hot tears "But what if I do?"

He sighed, taking both s to worry about now"

"But--"

"I don’t want to hear anya cold tear from my cheek "Maybe once this business with Drake is put to rest, I’ll approve a research division Okay? But not now Not while we have so s to focus on"

"But it wouldn’t be a probleet in your way," I said, hopeful

"It’s not open for discussion"

"But…" I followed hi alone, you can put a guard onto pack Can you…" He pinched the bridge of his nose "We’ll discuss this when I return from Elysium on Monday"

"No, on’t" I spun away "You’re just brushing it off, like you always do"

He appeared behindoff And, yeah, maybe I’m hesitant to discuss this with you, because there’s nothing to discuss I won’t approve a lab for Jason as a guise for him to spend time alone with you"

"That’s not what it is Do you have no faith in him at all?"

"Not when it comes to you"

"Yet you trust Arthur," I said spitefully

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

I wanted to say that if he orried about anyone trying to have sex with me, it should be his uncle, not Jason, but I was pretty sure that would result in Arthur’s death And as I looked up into his troubled eyes, the exhaustion of everything came down on top of me My lip quivered "I can’t do this anymore, David"

"What,

"I’ out, but he’s trying to find a way toto stop, Ara He’s putting ideas into your head"

"Is he? Or is it that you don’t wantlike that?" He pulled away "I’m not that sort of man, Ara, you know that"

"Do I?"

"Ara, please?" His tone broke at the sa "Jason is my only real friend He’s the only one in this whole place who has "

"What do youto ?" The skin on his foreheadinto a frown "Ara, what s" I shookto myself

"My love, please Talk to eline’s bloodline, and now you tell me she died as a child, and you told er up "When I told you that story, I believed it to be correct All I had learned came from Lilithian History books in our library I told you what I knew to be the truth"

"Really?"

"Yes" He brushed my hair off my face "And these aren’t the only half-truths we’ve all been told You have to trust me, Ara I did not tell you those stories to steer you in the wrong direction If anything, ask Arthur why he never told you the truth Ask hih Vampire Councillor, why they never corrected myself or any other vampire"

"And, you see? That’s just it Everyone keeps the truth so buried no one even knohat’s true anye on all Lilithians because Lilith wanted to kill him, and now I’m told it’s because Lilith killed Anandene"

"No Anandene left Drake--betrayed him She ran off with one of the council leaders"

"That’s not what Arthur told"What else did he tell you?"

"He told ed on one side,his whole face softer with that smile "You can tell me I’m your husband"

I nodded "I know That’s kind of why I’ you I just…" I wandered over and sat on the box at the end of our bed "I’ lost in this web of lies, David, and I don’t really knoho to trust"

"Trust "

"Ara, trying isn’t good enough What reason on God’s good earth would you have not to trust the one person in the world who always has your best interests at heart?"

"Because that one person is also willing to do things I don’t necessarily agree with in order to protect me"