He lifted the blanket, covering her.
His voice was light, teasing.
"Your body is too fragile for that kind of strain, Sia. I'll need to bring in a few physicians before I can properly satisfy you."
Her lips parted.
He crawled toward her and cupped her face. "But I did enjoy the way you screamed my name and call me Rian."
Her cheeks flushed, remembering how she had behaved earlier: gripping her hands in his hair, lost in the moment.
He chuckled.
"I can't possibly take you now. Any Varyn duchess must be a virgin." He pinched her nose. "Are you trying to ruin my plans?"
"Oh." She had only been thinking of her own plans, not Dorian's. If she had actually been taken tonight, it would have complicated things for the Varyn Clan. And that would have been disastrous.
"Why were you so determined earlier?" Dorian asked, his thumb pressing gently under her chin, tilting her face toward him.
"I already told you. They don't want this marriage at all."
"Next time, talk to me about these things first." His voice was firm. "I'm going to bring the Rashets to my side."
"You mean coerce Father."
"He'll be forced by the situation."
"How?"
"A debt of gratitude."
She sat up slowly, leaning back against the headboard to think. He moved to the corner of the bed.
"Your father's weakness is debts of gratitude. Your cousin used that as bait to worm her way into the main family. That's how she and her mother roamed freely through Rashet Manor."
Her gaze drifted to the windowpanes.
"That debt nearly cost me my life."
In her past life, it had cost her everything. About her death. About what he became. About the empire he destroyed.
He took her hand.
"Is there another reason you came?"
She sighed.
How could she possibly say it?
She was here because the visions had triggered her, the ones where the Ochia family took over the Rashet manor. In her past life, they had used her death to weaken Levon, feeding on his grief until he gave up fighting for the iron mine.
Now, in this new timeline, the Ochias had chosen a different method. A different result.
This time, she was alive.
And now she had come here just to see for herself that this time... it was different.
Dorian observed her quiet mood. Such pride. She'd rather burn than confess she simply wanted to see him.
He leaned in suddenly and claimed her mouth, catching her off guard. Slowly then Nyasia kissed him back with the same fervor.
...
DAWN HAD BARELY broken when Dorian rose. He stood on the balcony, glass in hand, the door ajar. Through the gap, he watched Nyasia's sleeping form curled on the bed. She had no idea—not once—how close he had come last night to losing every last shred of restraint.
"Your Grace, late last night, the Young Master gave the order to lock the drunk men inside the wedding hall."
Cael reported this later in the bedroom's foyer. Dorian sat across from him on a couch. "For what?"
"A powerful scent. One that can render a man impotent. He's eliminating the future of the branch families."
Dorian nodded absently, half-bored.
"Last night," Rain continued, "the lady asked that Sinopia spy to look into who took the white flowers from the garden."
"Do what she says."
...
NYASIA WAS DUMBFOUNDED when she saw the long rack of dresses. Cherry entered with a few trusted maids, who greeted her politely after she had finished bathing.
After sleeping in Dorian's bedroom, Nyasia had been ushered through a connecting door into another room, the private space meant for the next duchess.
"These dresses were brought from the Varyn's own stores early this morning, my lady. Every one of them was personally chosen by the duke."
Nyasia gave a tight smile.
"Thank you."
It took her a few minutes to settle on a dress. Cherry started forward to help, then stopped. Because the duke had entered. Nyasia caught his reflection in the long mirror. Cherry dipped into a bow and slipped out without a word, and the door closed.
Nyasia watched Dorian stop behind her, his gaze trailing down her bare back. His fingers found the long zipper and drew it up, slow and deliberate.
"Wear a veil today," he said. "We're going somewhere interesting."
She blinked and turned around.
"Your Grace," she said, her hands pressing flat against his chest. "I'm supposed to go back now. Or do you want scandalous rumors about you to spread?"
His mouth curved as his hands went around her waist. "Today's already full of bad news, Sia. Whatever we do won't even make the list."
"What do you mean?" She frowned.
*