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I turn in the garden and smile up at Percival I slipped to my sanctuary to think after lunch Hands shoved into his black slacks, the dark-hairedme carefully I wonder who elected him to come out and check on me

“And you know this from experience, do you?”

“Firsthand with Rosemond But I think you knew that, didn’t you?”

I shrug, uncertain how to respond It’s a bold ad from the usually private man

“I sensed the change You paid close attention to ained a softness in your demeanor toward me that hadn’t been there previously It ether For the record, I don’tkilled any chance we ht’ve had The world wasn’t ready for a union like ours Not even after the collaboration necessary to end the Reaping No one likes to ether to defeat our foe these days It’s akin to a dirty secret we all try to keep shoved in the back of our closets” I re if I interrupt “Those were desperate dark days Bloody battles and blood ic were part of the sacrifices”

“What?” The word is out before I can bite ue

He looks up at me “I could never deny Rosemond much The power she needed to harness with the loss of so many in her family required more than she could attain on her own Your ancestors were silent in those days, diseneration”

Exco faht

“What did you do?” I ask, silently

willing hi up

“I boundmy power to her cause”

“You drank from each other?” I ask, stunned

“Yes”

“A-Are you still bound?”

He shakes his head “No, e did was temporary”