“I failed.” I heard him whisper. “Again.” “No, you didn’t.” “Yes, I did! You heard it. I had one chance to have that damned book.” His voice rose an octave higher. “I failed because I chose you over the book—over the world! I was selfish because of you. You crawled beneath my skin like some parasite. You have infected me, and it has cost me the world. So now, I have to prepare armies once more for war. War, Dianna.”
