“Is that so? Your heart says otherwise.” “My heart?” “I can hear it beating, Temperance. It speeds up whenever you look at me.” Tem looked pointedly at the ground. Caspen had told her the same thing the first time they’d eaten a meal together. Your heartbeat, he’d said. It is irregular. “My heartbeat is none of your business.” “And yet, it beats so loudly, I can hear nothing else.” “Well, stop listening.” “You are rather difficult to tune out, Temperance.”

