Seventy-four:
Antero Dukas
I was begging her like a fool. There had been some magic between us when she had first arrived in Aurum. I wanted to capture that magic again. We were alone for the first time in months, and she was wearing the wedding dress that she was going to wear to marry me. It was a simple, white strapless dress with glittery silver flowers on the design. Her bare shoulders made me want to reach out and stroke her. But I kept my hands to myself. I suspected that if I touched her, she would slap me.
“I can give you love,” I told her, “I can give you power. All you have to do is let me, Sirena.”
“Zale’s alive,” she said, “Zale is alive, and he is out there, and he is going to come for me. As long as he is alive, I’m not going to do anything with you.”
“Really?” I ch
