I've never thought I would get so many naughty confessions one after the other.

After being asked nicely, Alexander decides to tell me just everything.

Starting from how he manipulated me the first few days of marriage. He found the paper with my wicked plans on the table the morning after sleeping. He instructed Pericle to mention random names of girls that wanted to marry him, maybe to even set a trap so that one would appear at my tea party.

I already knew this much, but seeing my Duke admit it is such a scene. His shoulders are drooping, and he stares at his fingers like a kid that has been discovered stealing sweets.

«Random girls? Not Elisabeth Grahm?»

«No, I wasn't thinking about her. If I knew earlier, I wouldn't have let Pericle handle things, really.»

«Mhm, what about your cousin Bertha?»

«I see... You still remember her name.»

«I have a good memory.»

«Slightly selective, though.»

«Continue with your story, please.»

«Yes, of course!» he exclaims.

Meeting with his cousin was his idea, so he is completely guilty of it. Not that there's anything wrong with taking a stroll with a relative. But he did it only to trigger my plan.

He wanted me to seduce him repeatedly, this moron.

«But weren't you upset about the rest of the things written there?» I ask. After all, the path he chose was the safest one. «I was preparing to run away, at the cost of being discovered and executed.»

«That's when I started considering bringing Katerina to the Palace. Even if you hated me for it, I couldn't risk your life.»

Oh, so he did pay some attention to the rest of the paper. I thought his mind focused only on the words he liked.

«You were several steps ahead of me,» I admit. «It's no wonder you could handle me so perfectly.»

«I was hoping you would rely on me, even just for a little thing. But you're so stubborn,» he sighs. «I asked his majesty to send me far from the court for a few days the morning before your arrival. I wanted to let you rest in my room for a few days. But then, things turned out different. And it seemed wrong to force you to stay there.»

«Oh, I like your room in the Palace,» I giggle.

It's quite a pleasant place to remember. Even if it's dark and unadorned, it's where my Duke relaxed the most.

My room was full of ghosts and weird moments.

«I don't want to part from you for months this summer,» I whisper and move on the sofa to sit closer to my husband. «I'd like to come with you to the capital.»

«I don't think it's wise,» he replies. His eyes move on my stomach, and his hand finds mine in a moment. «It will be uncomfortable for you.»

«Oh, don't make it sound like I'm ill! Village women work during pregnancy. Why can't I travel for a few days only? Also, if we go early, it won't be much of a hassle...»

«How much early are you thinking about?»

«April,» I try.

The nobles usually reach the capital around June. By then, my belly will be round, and I'll need space and comfort. Definitely not the right time to travel.

Yet, my Duke won't accept to go in March because it's soon, and it would mean we'd have to stay in the capital and endure that stress for double the time.

April is more reasonable, and I actually stand a chance to convince my Duke by then.

«What do you think?» I ask, blinking.

«I don't know... It seems so soon. It's a few weeks from now, isn't it?»

«Almost two months. It's enough time to prepare.»

«But I don't like the court. We'd have to stay there longer, Thea.»

Oh, come on! I have some business to do there.

«Only until the Autumn Hunt. Oh, maybe we could come back in August if his majesty doesn't expressively ask for your presence. I think he's already happy that you attended last time. He won't insist this year.»

He won't because I'll talk him out of it.

As soon as the baby is born, I'll press Alexander to travel back to Kyre. I don't want my child to be exposed to that place's negativity.

The Emperor won't say a word about our sudden departure. He'll have more pressing concerns.

«Why are you so eager to go?»

I want to understand how deep Asteria's roots are in the imperial Palace.

Asteria had a spy at my court too, but it had been easy to identify. Nothing personal: every large empire needs to reach literally everywhere, even in a city as small as Polis.

Also, that spy was useless; he couldn't trick anyone. They had to sacrifice their most promising ambassador to get into the court.

I'll identify their spies and warn his majesty, and then I'll get back here with my conscious light.

I might even finally meet Duke Grahm. I'm curious about the man that is playing against me. Oh, he won't do that again.

But I don't feel like the matter between us is settled. I still have to return the favour to them in some way...

«Thea,» Alexander says, waking me up from my daze.

«Mhm?» I moan, landing in his arms.

He hugs me by instinct.

«Can I...» he starts, moving his eyes on my belly. He seems uncertain about something, but I can try to guess his mind without the need to hear his whole sentence.

He has always understood me without the need for words. Why can't I?

I reach out to his hand and press it on my stomach, on the place where I suppose our baby is.

«I think it's here,» I mutter.

«Yes, it is,» Alexander nods, pressing his palm. «It's growing.»

Growing? I look down to see if I've already started swelling like a balloon. Yet, it doesn't seem like that. My stomach is flat like always.

I press both my hands next to Alexander's, trying to find any small difference, but I'm just like I was before.

I'm softer: that's true. But it's because I've eaten well for months.

«Are you sure?» I ask after giving up to see what Alexander noticed immediately.

«Yes, of course,» he chuckles.

He moves down to peck my stomach and whispers something next to it. Is he talking to the baby now? It can't hear him!

Oh, he's so childish at times.

«You already have secrets with our child,» I joke.

Alexander just shrugs, returning to hug me gently. He pecks my cheek and leans back on the sofa.

«You don't need to know just everything,» he comments.

Before knowing it, I pinch his arm. It was so natural that I didn't stop to think about it.

«You've been bullying me often, lately,» Alexander comments while rubbing the place I've pinched. I didn't use much strength. He's just pretending it hurts.

«You confessed about your bad deeds,» I remind him. «I have the right to tyrannise you a bit.»

«All right,» he sighs and opens his arms, pretending to surrender.

His face, though, hasn't the mischievous expression he shows me every time he plans something.

«Just do what you want!» he then exclaims with the same dramatic tone an actor would use in front of death.

Oh, my. It's irresistible.

Instead of taking the chance to annoy him some more, I place both my hands on his torso. I clench them in fists and move up one at a time. When I reach his shoulders, I tilt my head and get closer before mimicking the cry of a tiger.

«Roar!» I say.

Alexander blinks once, and I realise that I'm acting like an idiot.

He blinks another time, and I remember that I'm still rather close. Maybe it's better to retreat before making a fool of myself even more.

He doesn't blink surprised for a third time. He just surrounds my waist with his arms and drags me on his lap.

«What a wild kitten I have here,» he whispers to my ear before kissing my neck.

Oh, what cat and cat? I was clearly a tiger.

Even though my sighs resemble more the purr of a cat than the groan of a predator.

Alexander moves the sleeves of my dress away from my shoulders, managing to unbutton them just enough to free my breasts. His mouth reaches my left nipple while his hand wraps the other breast and squeezes just the right way.

His other arm is still around my waist, but I know it will move soon. I sink my fingers in his hair, playing with it and enjoying the soft texture.

I close my eyes and bend my head back, enjoying these caresses I've missed so much. We haven't been together like this in days, from before Alexander's storytelling.

I wasn't in the mood for any intimate contact that went over kisses while my husband was in a weird mode. Only after settling down a bit, my body remembered its needs.

It's odd. I'm pregnant. I shouldn't desire him so much.

After all, we've just reached the purpose of all our intimate moments: a baby is growing inside me.

Yet, I can't stand the thought to stay far from my Duke for months.