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“Following.”
“If Mithras was Salvatore’s son, which we believe he was, he would’ve been the eldest. Not just son, but offspring.”
Magnet’s eyes scrunched. “Okay. Still following.”
“That must’ve made A crazy. That she hadn’t given him a son.”
“So why did Xavier kill him?”
“Because she forced him too.”
“That was ten years after Salvatore’s death. Why wait so long?” he asked.
“Xavier was twenty-five. Rite of passage?”
“Pharaoh was a lot older. Why not have her do it?”
“Didn’t she order someone else to kill Oleander?”
“I need to start taking memory supplements. Seriously, how do you remember all this?”
“Here it is. Yes, she ordered Seshat, who wasn’t really Seshat, to pull the trigger.”
“Are you saying Pharaoh wasn’t a killer?” His eyes were wide.
“She was a Libra,” I muttered.
“I was following you all the way ’til there. What does her being a Libra have to do with anything?”
“Peacekeepers. Then again, they’re also manipulative. Oh, and acquiescent.”
“I can’t even remember what we were talking about. Do you really believe in that stuff?”
“Not at all.”
Magnet wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulled me close to him, and kissed me. “God, I love you.” He pulled back, eyes wider than before. “Um?—”
“I love you too,” I blurted.
We stared at each other for what felt like several minutes, neither of us saying anything more.
Finally, Magnet reached up and cupped my cheek. “While I didn’t plan to tell you now?—”
“You didn’t?”
“Not when we were talking about Rávdos and his devil spawns.”
“Good point.”
“But I am glad I told you.”
“Me too.”
He leaned forward and rested his forehead against mine. “Did you mean it?”
I brought my lips to his. “Of course I did.”
He lay on the bed and pulled me down with him after I moved my laptop out of the way. We both lay on our sides, facing each other.