My eyes fly to his. “Can I be honest with you?”

“Of course.”

“You need to accept that you are the Duke now. Not just here,” I lean forward and touch his temple, “But here as well,” I place my palm on his heart.

His breath hitches and his heart beats a little faster under my hand.

“What makes you say that?” he asks.

I cup his jaw. “Mrs. Wells told me how you refused to use the Ducal suite even though the staff has kept everything ready for you there. Not that I blame you because the décor there is awful.” I scrunch my nose remembering the awful furnishings in the Ducal suite. “Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that you’ve taken all the responsibility that comes with being a Duke, but you haven’t accepted the title, Damien. You need to accept it and make it a part of you. None of this belongs to your father or your brother anymore. If you truly consider that it’s all yours then do something about it. Add the books you like to your library, change the Ducal suites in all your houses. Redecorate! Put your own stamp where you want to and make it all yours. Own the damn title!”

Damien

OWN THE DAMN TITLE!

Aaliya’s words reverberate inside me. What she says is true. While I have accepted every responsibility thrown my way, I haven’t fully accepted the title that now belongs to me. Some part of me still finds the whole thing unbelievable as if David or my father will come and snatch it all back from me like it’s some kind of a game they’re playing with me.

“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not,” Aaliya says, looking at her hands. Her words click something inside my mind. “Make it your strength. Then...”

“...it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you,” I complete the saying and my eyes widen in shock. “How do I know this quote?”

A small wrinkle mars her forehead. “It’s a famous quote by George R.R. Martin from the even more famous TV serial...”

“Game of Thrones,” the name spills from my lips. I stand up suddenly as visions of dragons and a dwarf and winter and a throne fills my mind. “Fuck! I remember this. Please tell me this serial is not older than five years. Please tell me this is something that was released in the past five years only.”

Her face falls. “Oh, Damien! I think the serial released more than five years back. At least some seasons.”

And then she leaps up. “What is the last thing you remember watching in Game of Thrones?”