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I watch as he finishes his work. In the low light, I can make out the glint of what looks like letters floating in the empty space there. But as soon as I tilt my head a little, they seem to vanish, little more than a trick of the light.

“I didn’t know our magic could do such a thing,” I say wondrously. What else might it do? The possibilities seem endless.

Memnon assesses his work, then turns and heads toward me. The day had many, many distractions, but now it’s just us. His eyes fall to mine, the candlelight limning his features, and there is a storm in my bloodstream, one that calls to him.

He walks slowly, removing his bow and the gorytos full of arrows that he carries at his side, setting the weapons down next to the bed.

Memnon comes tomyside then, his armor jostling as he kneels next to me.

“Have you thought of a name for him?” he asks, reaching out to run a hand along the panther’s back. Surprisingly, the big cat seems to enjoy Memnon’s touch, arching into it and chuffing out a happy noise.

I bite my lower lip, then release it. “I have no business naming anything,” I admit, then sheepishly add, “but I have.”

Memnon waits, his eyes studying my mouth.

“I was thinking…Ferox.”Ferocity. “For his bravery in the face of hopeless odds.”

The big cat leans toward me and rubs his face against one of the hands in my lap. I can’t be sure, but I think maybe he likes the name.

“Ferox,” he murmurs. “I like it. It’s appropriately terrifying.”

I smirk a little as I watch myterrifyingnew pet. He’s flopped onto his side, his eyes closed happily.

“I thought so as well,” I say. My smile melts into something more pensive. “I don’t understand it, but I’m connected to the panther like I am connected to you.”

“Through magic, you mean?” Memnon asks, peering at me.

I nod slowly. “I can…slip into his mind.” I’ve accidentally done it several times since the first. “Have you ever heard of such a thing?”

Memnon’s brows pull together and he shakes his head. “No, but it’s clear the gods have blessed you, both with this animal and with this new ability to see through his eyes.”

The Sarmatian rises to his feet then, unfastening the belt from his waist and removing it along with the weapons attached to it.

I watch him—I cannothelpbut watch him. As a seamstress’s assistant, I have seen several men remove bits of their clothing; however, I’ve never seenmyman do so, and I’m fascinated by it. He seems utterly oblivious to the strange, evocative way it’s making me feel.

When his hands move to the straps of his armor, I push myself off the ground, leaving a content Ferox.

“So we’re undressing now?” I say casually, crossing over to him.

There are not many fastenings holding the armor in place, but I reach for one he hasn’t undone yet. Across our bond, I feel a spark of surprise at the touch.

“My armor is heavy, and my weapons were cumbersome. I simply wanted to get them off.” He gives me a cautious look. “We do not need to get undressed, my queen.”

A shiver rolls through me at the endearment. I think Memnon still means to make me comfortable. It doesn’t take much musing to know my own heart on this matter.

“Do Sarmatian spouses not undress in front of each other?” I ask softly, unfastening a leather strap.

I see Memnon swallow, and then the whites of his eyes when he turns his face to mine. “They do,” he says.

“I am nervous and perhaps a little afraid,” I say, referring back to our previous conversation. As I speak, I undo anotherleather cord holding his armor together. “But I meant my vows, and I meant my earlier words. I am yours…my king.”

My gaze meets his. His own eyes look deep enough to dive into, firelight dancing in them. There are layers to Memnon’s emotions—excitement, levity, joy, and something that feels warm and deep.

“And,” I add, “I’m a Sarmatian now. It would be rude if I didn’t follow your customs.”

Memnon’s mouth quirks, but he only says, “You’re a queen. You can do whatever you want.”

I smother my own smile. “That’s a dangerous proposition,” I whisper. I call on my magic to help me unfasten the last of Memnon’s armor. “You don’t know how greedy I can be.”