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“You mean my pet.”

Sir Richard asked frankly, “Has she had a vision about the murder? Is that why she’s suddenly developed a friendship with the other student?”

Alexandru shrugged, unwilling to admit the truth, and that was that his own pet had stopped confiding her thoughts to him. He could, of course, try to read her mind, stealthily, but such a thing was beneath him. Doing so would make him seem to care too much about her thoughts, and that wasnota direction he wanted to take.

When he went back to his rooms, he expected Zari not to be there. She had been avoiding him of late, and the only reason she was able to was because he had let her. Since he had come back, his pet had looked at him like being with him was an open wound. One neither of them wanted to heal.

He opened the door, and the first thing that greeted him was her scent.

“Zari?” Her name slipped past his lips, surprise evident in his voice.

She was already dressed for bed, but instead of her usual pajamas she had on a nightgown. With its high neckline, loose billowing sleeves, and ankle-length hem, it would have been extremely modest if not for the fact that it was completely transparent.Completely.

And his pet?

His wicked little pet was just naked under her nightgown.

Completely.

“Welcome back, Master.” She was seated on the floor, her knees bent, legs folded to the side.

Alexandru slowly locked the door behind him. As he walked towards her, he asked,What’s this all about, pet?

He took a seat on the couch. She immediately moved close to him, and Alexandru stiffened as her breasts, covered with such thin silk it felt almost bare, brushed against his legs, making him stiffen.

At the question, she took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself. What she was about to do was something she had read fromPet Grooming.The magazine had the silliest name, but Rhapsody had assured her it gave the most “proper” advice for a pet.

So...here...goes...

She looked up at her Master with the widest eyes possible. According to the magazine, this was supposed to make her as irresistible as a puppy.

Alexandru’s lips tightened. What in hell was she doing really? Right now, she appeared to be attempting to look like...an alien,with the way she was trying to stretch her eyeballs to incredible proportions.

He told her as much.

Zari gasped, quickly returning her eyes to normal.

“Whatareyou doing?” He had to ask. There were few things in this world that his mind failed to comprehend, but this was definitely one of them.

She mumbled, “I was trying to look cute.”

He was stunned.

“It’s been a while, Master. Haven’t you noticed?” Zari’s voice was tremulous. “It’s been a while since you called me...that.”

Her words had the power of a nuclear bomb, quiet and precise at the way it had his heart devastated, breaking into thousands of pieces.

His pet was rubbing her eyes, trying furiously not to cry, and his heart shattered anew. “Zari...”

She looked at him.

And at that moment, it became undeniably clear.

She knew.

About Katarina.

About her being his heartkeeper.