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Consternation sparked in his heartkeeper’s blue eyes, and Ilie wondered if she knew how seeing her mad only made him want her more.Probably not,he thought wryly, knowing that for someone as pragmatic as his lily, it would make no sense.

You say you like me and yet you also like seeing me angry? That doesn’t make any sense, milord!

His lips twitched at the thought, and lowering his head, he stole a kiss from her. He intended it to last for a moment, but when their lips touched, he realized it had been stupid to think he could stop there.

He stroked her tongue with his, and when she whimpered, he couldn’t help kissing her more deeply.

“M-milord.”

It was a weakly voiced protest, but Ilie forced himself to heed it, knowing that he wouldn’t want her to attend the ball smelling of arousal either.No fucking way, he thought grimly, considering who were there.

Reluctantly lifting his mouth off hers, he told her raggedly, “I apologize, milady. When you are near me, I find myself unable to stay in control.”

With her head pressed against his chest, Soleil could feel his heart still racing and knew that the marquis had been telling the truth. He truly wanted her that much. Her head whirled at the thought.

Pressing his lips to the top of her head, he said, “Distract me,ma lisse.Tell me about your day.”

She said slowly, “Zari—-”

“The soul seer?”

“Yes.” She paused. “She had a vision about me.”

He stilled. “And?”

She remembered how Zari had gone pale, her voice becoming toneless as she whispered disjointedly of things that had happened or were yet to happen.

BLUE.

The color of the ocean, its crashing waves a distant sound—-

The color of silk, tainted with evil and tarnished dreams—-

The color of your dying, haunted eyes—-

Don’t fall.

Don’t fall.

Don’t fall.

The person close to you is not to be trusted.

“Milady?”

Straightening in his lap, Soleil pushed all thoughts away. “She warned me against death, but...” Her shoulders lifted in a shrug. “With the kind of life I lead, death is always a possibility.

Ilie was frowning. “You must not disregard her warning so lightly,ma lisse.Soul seers have the knack of sensing danger that have tremendously ill consequences if they were to take place.”

“I can’t worry about what I don’t know, milord. I can only take precautions, and I have been doing that, always. Too many people’s lives depend on me, and I am aware of this.”

The marquis gazed at her broodingly. “Promise me this, at least. You will always let me know when you leave for an operation.”

“If you’re going to stop me from working,” she began hotly.

“I wish to merely ascertain I am near enough to be of help if it is necessary that I intervene.” Forestalling her argument, he went on to say, “I solemnly vow as well that I will only intervene when your life is expressly threatened.”

They stared at each other, but it was Soleil who backed down first, her pragmatic side winning. “Fine.” Having the marquis on her side would mean having an additional ace up her sleeve, and what right-minded soldier would argue against that?