“Has anyone ever told you that you’re terrible at comforting people?” I asked, keeping my tone light. “You were supposed to say, ‘I’m sorry, Millie. I’m sorry that your father is dead. How terrible.’” “You don’t want that,” he said, stepping closer, making me swallow. “Hollow words. Do you?” “It’s only polite,” I said, grappling for words as his nearing presence made my nerves spike. My neck craned back when he stopped mere feet away. “An heir to the Kaalium should know better.” A gruff laugh tumbled from his lips, unexpected and surprising. Then, when that laugh slowly died away, for a
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