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His mind is vast Worlds beyond my own And perhaps for the first time, I really understand how this oodness No evil intent when he killed Eo He believes he is beyond rand that he has become inhue to look at the rigid, cold figure he casts and know all these wild dreams burn inside his head and heart
"What about all you said? What about the things you’ve done?" I ask, thinking of his first wife, whose rapes "You take advice from creatures like Pliny You bomb innocent civilians, who haven’t broken any laws You e to save huood"
To defend himself To benefit hihteen billion draw breath across this empire How many would you kill to protect e the necessity"
"Fifteen billion?" I ask Red, Gold, every part of me is shocked
"Someone rows sicker by the day The Pixies chase pleasure instead of achievery for power that our Sovereign is a woman who cut off the head of her own father in order to take his throne They aze does not waver "By us," he repeats "I treated you poorly, because I feared your brashness, your impudence But I promised I would make amends, and so I will, because you have shown the capacity for growth, for learning Becoh lords of war What I need … what I want is a son"
"You have a son"
"I have a parasite that wants ains it He sier" His face shows a flicker of intrigue "Yet, re"
I don’t doubt I have his blessing Knowingto cost me He’s a businessman He’ll want return on his investment Especially this investinia? You don’t need your heir to be male"
"But I want it to be And I want you for her A husband fitting her h his scheme "I tie her to you Especially if we marry We both know you don’t want reform"
Even now Reformers from across the Society flock to Mars to rally behind the ive them the Senate when he defeats Lune and her allies
"The Refor theain their support When we have defeated Octavia, I will put the Refor will never forgive you She believes you’re changing Whatever conversation you had with her, whatever you proive either of us
"You will make her understand once you’re part of the family, Darrow By then, I suspect you’ll be married, and she won’t abandon you even if she hates , as weto me Not my children"