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He froze as he balanced above her, his startled gaze locked with mineThe top of Cleopatra’s head was barely visible beneath hi rapped around his naked hip His wide grin mocked me and my eyes instantly flew to the floor while color exploded intointo such an inti up

"I’m sorry… so sorryI’ll just be… out here"

I backed out as quickly as I could, dropping into a chair in her seating areaI wished I could just I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt so humiliatedIt orse than the tiht after flirting with a carful of hot guys next toplatforan- and that had been in front of a huge crowdThis wasas I waited, trying to make my face cool down and return to its nor Antony in the face when they eventually e up the already spotless roo to occupy ed with a self-satisfied smile plastered on his handsome face His hairline was damp and mussed and his face was flushed as he adjusted the pleats on Egyptian-style kiltHe looked back up atto avoid his eyes

"What’s the trouble, Charhed as he crossed the rooain explode into flaered out of the rooh, but didn’t as I remembered the reason that I had coly serious reasonI took a deep breath and walked toward the bedchamber, but stopped as Cleopatra stepped into view

"Charered in the doorway, naked as the day she was born"Can you suht up for rumbled as I turned to obey her request

"What was that?"she asked, surprise evident on her faceShe ht not have heard the words, but she had certainly heard the inflection

"Nothing,expression not unlike Antony’s, but I continued on in a rush"I do need to speak you, thoughAbout so… importantIt is why I rushed in here as I did"The smirk quickly disappeared from her face as she stared at ht and she was frozen in place, as though she kneas about to reveal so The delicate henna scrolls that curved across her shoulder blades shirasping her bare arown around her slender shoulders and then sat gingerly next to her

I spent the next twentythe Order of the Moirae,the entire time that the priest’s counsel was as infallible as nor

I wasn’t sure exactly ould happen toour secretsBut honestly, as the worst that could happen?We only had a week more to live in this lifeI had to trust that ere reborn, her memories would be wiped clean, just as , her face was entirely devoid of color as she stared at me

"No…"her voice trailed off as she stared out thepastas she twisted them restlessly in her lap

"Yes,"I confirmed needlesslyI had left out a few details, however, such as the fact that she was fated to live a tragic life every timeThere was no reason to trouble her with that

"Every word I spoke was the truthIn this life, you are yptI’m sorry,ork out in the endYou just aren’t able to iht now"

She stared at me once more, her dark eyes bleak

"What have I ever done to offend the gods so , Cleopatra,"I replied"There is a plan for life, a gigantic master plan, and this is just one of your parts in it We’re all players in a huge production and Egypt, right now, is your stage"

"But I will lose itEgypt will slip frorasp"

I nodded slowly

"What about the children?"she whispered

Icy fingers wrapped aroundmy breathI couldn’t tell her that Octavian would eventually have Caesarion, her oldest son, killedThere was no way she would follow-through with anything if she had that knowledgeI steeled myself to lie With a perfectly calm voice, I answered

"They will be fine,"I assured her"Octavian will take care of them in his own home"

And he wouldHe would raise her twins, Selene and Ptolees But he would have Caesarion killed for the simple reason that they shared the same father… Julius CaesarSince Octavian was only the adopted son of Caesar, it was too threatening for hihtful heirNone of this I could mention to Cleopatra, of course

"Are you certain?"she asked suspiciously"Your face betrays youYou are bothered"

"Of course I am,"I rushed to assure her"I am only bothered because of our fate in this life and because of this unexpected snag with the priest AnnenYour children will fare well"

She nodded, trustingme and I felt sick to my stoood liar?