Page 118 of Poisoned Empire

“You did, and the empire will still be there even if I’m not. Marduk and Nicephorus have it well in hand.” He winked.

The bloody man winked at her?! She gnashed her teeth even as her heart fluttered in her chest. She was losing the battle.

“Didn’t you want children?” she asked mulishly.

He shook his head.

“I only want you, Selene. Not the empire, not the throne, not the titles, not children or heirs or anything,just you.”

And with that, she lost the battle, the war over, her rage and her sorrow defeated. She gazed into the dark sincerity in his eyes. Stubborn man should have said as much before she’d decided to leave.

“You stupid peacock.”

Selene kissed him feverishly. Belisarius swept her up in a crushing embrace and kissed her back, fierce and warm andhers. His smile was dazzling.

“So, where to, my little poison mage?”

She sighed, only a little irritated.

“Where else? Back to Lethe, obviously. But we’re taking the long way back. I’m not sharing you with anyone else for a few days at least.” Just because she’d decided to be his empress, didn’t mean she wasn’t still a greedy thief at heart.

“If that’s what Her Majesty desires,” Belisarius teased.

Selene smiled.

“It is.”