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Even so, I wilted where I sat, a deep, profound sadness draggingon Beyond stupid I knew that

Even if eren’t living in such a fucked-up world, our kingdoe of extinction, there was the rank difference between Nyfain andhis rank and status I’d worn clothes that he’d had on, and my animal purred True mates shifted into the same animal All the books I’d read had made that same point

But the daydrea with hie sort of peace over all of us Nyfain, me, and our animals And, for that short time, I’d allowed myself to wonder if I actually was his trueanined in my favor and I could finally have ether, surely that ether somehow I mean, I’d found a cure for the demon poison—why not take the next step?

But here ere Eventually everyone woke up from their dreams, however pleasant

“Finley, love, what’s going on?” Hadriel ventured in with raised eyebrows and a plain gray shirt He was tired of having his butler outfits laundered after gardening because Cecil, the seamster with the attitude proble but abuse when he went to pick everything up

“Nothing, I’m fine I’ll just—”

“Oh” Hadriel braced his fists on his hips and wandered closer, looking at my underwear

“Ew, get out!” I tried to pull downon the toilet!”

“Honey dove, I have seen it all I’m already scarred for life I’m not worried about a little blood here and there No are we feeling?”

He pulled over a chair that a lady’s maid had likely used to wash the queen and sat in front of me

“Relieved? Sad?” he asked, peering deeply into my eyes

Intense sadness welled up, not just from me, but fro right now if not for the dragon’s raw, pri reminded hiazed at me with his hand on my belly Or the kisses he feathered across my navel I’d allowed myself to delve too deeply into the fantasy, and noas tiet my head out of the clouds