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"I believe I’ this" Paxán rubbed his teiven to another?"

"Given?" I said, voice scaling an octave higher This was the way of the world here, a world I was now i distant, Paxán said, "Still, considering all the danger these days, maybe you need a man ould lay down his life for you"

"Will you tell ainst us?" Paxán kept the specifics in the vault, so to speak, not wanting to burdenbull’s-eyes on our backs?"

Paxán seemed not to have heard me "It is a difficult situation, and perhaps it’s not meant to be with you and Aleksei There are shadows in him"

"Shadows?"

Paxán focused on me once more "I know Filip is also interested in you You’re closer in age and have much more in common"

"I’m not attracted to him like that I almost wish I could be, but I’m not"

"No attraction at all? To Filip?"

I shook my head "None"

"That isunexpected Perhaps you just need to give all this sos settle as they will?"

Sevastyan strode up the pavilion steps then, shoulders bunched with tension A look passed between the two men, and Paxán immediately stood "Now,business"

II should know about?" Whenever Sevastyan scanned for danger, was it because he was extreer was i we can’t handle"

Behind hi boolden eyes darkened on , meant for me alone

Sooner or later, the countdown clock would zero out