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I lean my head against his shoulder.You can put me down,I say tiredly.

You’ll have to command it of me, he says.Otherwise,that’s not happening.

I’d have to command it of him...

I turn my face into his chest as my face crumbles.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “So sorry.”

He rubs my back. “For what, little witch?” he says, perplexed.

“The bond.” My voice breaks. “It’s awful, so awful. I’m sorry.” I begin to sob. “Inevershould’ve agreed to it.”

My mate’s grip tightens on me. “Iofferedyouthe bond,” he reminds me as we head down his hallway. “I did so willingly, to repay the debt I owed you. If you hadn’t accepted it, I would’ve never gotten the chance to atone for my mistakes.”

His answer doesn’t placate me. I felt what it was like to have another’s will imposed on me.

“I command you to never take another command from me,” I say.

Memnon stares at me steadily for a few seconds.

“No,” he eventually says.

I raise my eyebrows. “What do you meanno?”

Memnon clasps me by the back of my neck and forces me to look at him. “I gave you my power because I did unforgiveable things to the only person I have ever truly loved. And Ilikeour forged bond. I can tell I’m earning back your trust, and I get pleasure from serving you. We are soul mates, Empress. You are my heart, and I trust you absolutely with this power you haveover me. I will not let you break this bond, just like I didn’t let you break the one fate forged between us.”

Memnon halts at the threshold to the main bedroom.

“So,” he says, “I am asking you, as the man who wants to continue proving himself to you, to take back your last command.”

I pull away so I can really see him.

“Fine,” I say, making a face. “I take back my previous command.” The words taste like ash on my tongue, but as soon as I speak them, Memnon’s expression softens.

“Thank you,” he says, and he resumes walking once more.

He approaches the bed where Nero is already waiting, and his magic pulls back the sheets.

“I’m dirty,” I realize. I’m still covered in blood and grime.

I’ve barely spoken when the sorcerer’s magic spills over me, scouring my body. I feel the sticky bloodstains vanish away, and I can only imagine what else the spell cleaned off.

“Better?” Memnon asks.

I nod.

His power moves to my feet, and it tugs off my boots and socks, and they fall to the ground.

From Memnon’s closet, one of his T-shirts floats out, passing over the bed, where Nero tries to nip at it.

Memnon’s magic drifts over me once more, and the outfit I wear melts off my body. His power is still hiding my nudity when his shirt slips itself over my head. I reach out to thread my arms through the armholes.

“You look good in my clothes,est amage,” he says as the shirt settles over my torso and his magic clears. “You always have.”

I give him a whisper of a smile, and for the first time tonight, I see Memnon grin. I think it’s purely in response to my own smile.

He settles me into the bed, then retreats.