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"So, now on top of the fact that Annen has stolenus outHe is supposed to be dead, yet he was out in broad daylight I don’t knohy and I don’t kno he got hereAnd that is troubling to meWe have one week until our ends will play out He doesn’t have Have you heard frouard that you sent to look for Iras?"

She shook her head wordlessly, her hands still clenched in her lap

"Well, then, it’s tiot a week left to put everything back into place Which ot a week left to send Pothinus back to where he came fro hereI will need your cooperation to make sure that we are successful, my queen"

She started to protest but closed her ht, just as I kneas about this particular thing:Cleopatra had always acted for the good of EgyptAlwaysAnd noas no exceptionShe nodded limply

"I’ll be very careful and I’ll be back as soon as I can"

She nodded again slowly, her dark eyes staring into mineI turned around and quickly left the rooe my mind I knew that the hopeless expression in her eyes would stay with ainst h the palace corridors, hts in a indI needed a plan, but since I didn’t know exactly what I was planning for… it presented a s my door behind me, I leaned on it and closed my eyes… for the one split second that it took me to realize that I wasn’t alone The creepy sensation that so me caused my eyes to pop back open al ht?"

There was no dangerI exhaled a deep sigh of relief that it was only Hasani and crossed the roo to brush a kiss across his foreheadHe looked at me quizzically

"You still haven’t changed your clothes…"

"I knoas called to assist Cleopatra before Iis fine,"I hurried to reassure him, when he didn’t look convinced

"Char wrong, I knowYou can trust me"

His beautiful face was turned up to me, his lips full and so kissableI bent over him and kissed his upturned face; first on each cheek, then on the forehead again and then finally on his soft lips

"Hasani…"I trailed off, uncertain how to phrase aze burning ain

"Hasani…there are sos that because of my position with Cleopatra, I ah I want toCleopatra has a personal problem that I have been involved in here of late and it has been troublesomeBut I don’t want you to worry about itIt will all work out just as it is supposed to, I am sure"

And that’s what I hated about it, but I didn’t add that part

"But it troubles you,me down onto his lap"You can share your troubles with me… in confidenceI will share them with no one"

"I know you wouldn’t, HasaniBut I am sworn to secrecyI cannot break ned and wearyHe studied er and then nodded quietly

"I understand, CharmianBecause of my position with Antony, I understand better than you thinkBut know this:if you need help, with anything, you can come to meI won’t demand an explanationYou can leave out as many details as you need to You can always come to me"

A knot the size of California formed in my throat and my eyes welled upI turned my head quickly so that he didn’t see He swiveled rowing panic

"Char is wrongIf I can help, tellin ht of h his confident voiceIt was alreat warrior as Hasani was reduced to panic at the sight of a stupid little tear or two

On that saypt, it had never occurred to hiht be things out of his control or above his skill level, such as tangling with the fabric of time, for instanceI decided a distraction was in order

I would answer a question with a question, classic deflection

"Hasani, why are you in here?Shouldn’t you be out punishing your soldiers with some sort of hellish drill? You know that Octavian is on his way to Egypt even as we speak"

I looked at him pointedlyIn response, he ale the subject, Char Octavian,"he said wryly "But it won’t work Tell ht now"