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Rhapsody, not in the habit of voicing her opinions unless asked, kept her thoughts to herself as the marquis thanked the coroner for his time. Once inside the carriage, however, she was startled when her Master indeed asked for her thoughts on the coroner's diagnosis.

"It was unexpected, milord," Rhapsody answered honestly. "I do not think he is incorrect in any way in his diagnosis, but I also know how stringent the kingdom's procedures are for granting visas to tourists."

"I was thinking the same thing myself," Mihail acknowledged grimly. Chalys had embassies all over the world, and in those places their people employed the most advanced technologies to eradicate any threats to the kingdom. In worst case scenario,this meant killing spies and terrorists thinking to come into their land. But in most other days, this simply meant rejecting visa applications of individuals with even the smallest potential to cause the kingdom unnecessary trouble. It was not uncommon, for instance, for a foreigner to have his application rejected merely because he had been given a speeding ticket.

"Another possibility is for a local to be the murderer," Rhapsody thought out loud, "but does this not seem improbable as well?"

"Extremely so," the marquis said with a deepening frown. "The people of Asphodel have their own dark sides, I'm sure, but I'd imagine that if a local were to kill someone for reasons outside the usual, it would be more ritualistic, owing to the influences of the other territories..."

In other words, Rhapsody interpreted silently,the children of Asphodel grew up hearing whispers about ghosts and demons, werewolves and vampires, and all things that went bump in the night. Such stories would never be discussed in the light of day and within the drawing rooms of Polite Society, but deep in their hearts, they knew that the unspoken was true.

"Quite the conundrum," Mihail heard his pet seemingly murmur to herself, and the way her lips pursed afterwards almost had him smiling...until he remembered how she used to occasionally involve herself in investigations of murders and hauntings.

Shit.

For as long as she stayed within school walls she remained safe, and he would have nothing to worry about. But outside it?

"Milady?"

"Yes, milord?"

"Just to be clear," he warned, "you are not to involve yourself in this investigation in any way, understood?"

"Yes, milord."

Her unquestioning obedience was refreshing, but at the same time, he couldn't help thinking it was too good to be true. Where his pet was concerned, things were rarely as simple and straightforward as she made them seem to be.

"Master?"

He jerked in his seat, caught off guard by the sound of her voice making sweet love to those sinful syllables. "What is it?"

"Would you tell me when you wish for us to copulate?"

Chapter Eight

"Absolutely," the marquis didn't even hesitate to say.

Rhapsody sighed with relief. "Pray tell what it is, milord," she appealed.

"It will take time though," he warned.

"All the more reason for me to work on it right away," she decided.

"Based on what I know from, er, other similar cases...the best method in eliminating such distractions is to target the source."

"Do you mean not to copulate?"

Hell no,the marquis almost said out loud. Clearing his throat, he said levelly, "It is the opposite actually, milady. You must increase the frequency of your participation in such activities until you become completely accustomed, and your mind no longer perceives it as a novelty."

And this was the truth, he reasoned to himself, and heartkeeping wouldn't have let him utter the words if it wasn't. In his younger years, he would sometimes find himself intrigued by a woman, but time always found a way in making his interest in her fade gradually into nothing.

"I see." Rhapsody's lips pursed. "This method is similar to how children are with shiny new toys, I think?"

"I suppose."

"To withhold a new toy from a child will only make him or her want to play with it even more..." His pet was now thinking out loud. "But if they were allowed to play with those toys whenever and for as long as they wish, their interest in it would eventually wane..."

"That is correct."