"It won't." He said.
"You say that now." I said.
"I said it when you first arrived." He said.
"You did." I said.
"And I meant it." He said as he turned toward me.
"You can leave these chambers whenever you want, Seraphina." He added and I smiled faintly.
"I know." I said.
"You can have your own rooms." He said.
"I know." I said.
"You can decide what happens between us." He said as his voice was quiet but certain.
"You always have that choice." He added as something inside my chest tightened.
"Why are you so patient with me?" I asked.
"Because you were never given a choice. I won't take another one away from you." He said and he looked down at our joined hands while my eyes started burning.
"I trust you." I said as his gaze lifted.
The words seemed to affect him more than I ex
