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Aghast, she set the tray aside "Then why didn’t you? If you’re so desperate to get away--"

"Her Majesty wouldn’t allow it"

She froze

"I gave herfar too o now She even threatened to send guards after me and Winter if I dared to leave without her consent"

Levana shivered "I don’t care what she thinks"

"I do She’s my queen She controls me as much as you do"

"I don’t control you"

He looked at her, finally, but his expression was bewildered "What do you think this is?"

"I’ her nails into her palms "You want me as much as I want you I see it in your eyes every tihed, a cruel sound, so different fro at her face, he yelled, "You’re wearing one for teeks and I was miserable and then she was back and I … but she’s not back It’s you It’s just you, and you don’t think that’sthe blankets aside, Levana scrambled into the robe left on her vanity chair "It’s my face now This is who I aht was a mistake That you didn’t want it"

"I never wanted this" He uards The rumors about us--"

"What does thatbreath "I love you, Evret"

"You don’t even knohat that word estured to the empty space between them "Whatever this fantasy is that you’ve built in your head None of it is real You are not hter The only part of her I have left"

Levana cinched the belt tight, then stood there, shaking with anger, as she watched him pull on his boots

"You willthe last buckle at the top of his boots "Princess Please Not again"

"Tonight"

He stared at the floor for a long ti time

She didn’t knohat she expected to see when he finally lifted his head, but the nothingness surprised her

They stared at each other for a painful, hollow moment, until it occurred to Levana that he had not said no