“She can accompany me on my errands,” he murmured, lifting a hand to stroke the tiny, furry back of the monkey now grasping his shirt as he moved away.

“Only you,” he heard her whisper.

This made him turn before opening the door.

“Only me?” he inquired.

He saw she had not moved, and her eyes were on their pet before they lifted to his face.

“Only you would go to possibly sack, possibly employ three maids who were involved in a ludicrous conspiracy to destabilize a marriage then go about royal duties, all with a wee monkey in tow.”

“When we have them, if our babes aren’t toddling around the rugs underfoot in my study at the palace while I work, I will find this very upsetting.”

Something moved over her face when he spoke those words.

Something of such power, it blasted across the room, struck him in the chest, and robbed him of the ability to breathe.

Something of such importance, Mars knew he’d never forget the vision of Silence standing in that room wearing that grape-colored Dellish gown he did not like, but he liked it on her.

No.

He would not forget that vision of his wife for the rest of his life.

“You scared me,” she said in a voice so low, he could almost not make out her words.

“Scared you?” he asked in much the same tone.

“At the Necropolis. In Fire City. When you were torturing those men. And during the attack. Your ferocity. The violence you displayed that seemed second nature.”

Fucking hell.

“Silence,” he whispered.

“It was terrifying.”

He began to make a move toward her when she spoke again.

“My hands struck fire.”

“Sorry?”

“During the attack on the palace. Elena did not save me from the man who was strangling me. She hadn’t made it to me yet. I had my fingers around his wrists to pull them away, and he let go right before his hands burst into flame. I did that. I…I…it was I who did that. Elena arrived after and dispatched him, but I made his hands catch fire.”

She grew silent.

Mars stared at her across the room, his hand now cupping the monkey at his chest, and he said nothing, waiting for her to go on, freely sharing her mysteries.