Her eyes began to sparkle with mischief and mirth. A smile curved her lips. With his hand still beneath hers, she formed a fist, crushing the stone he’d so carefully placed. When her fingers opened, a perfect, dazzling diamond sat in the center of the ashy dust. Somewhere in the world, Taetanos was laughing, Rafe was sure. But when he finally stood, the only sound he heard was the soft giggle spilling from her lips, striking him like a knife to the gut. He stumbled back to the mosaic floor and knelt before the offering basket, holding a gilded dagger above his head like a gift to his own
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