Valerian removed his hand when he noticed that I did not react. "Don't you... like it?" he asked, hesitant.

I averted my gaze. "I can't..."

He asked me too soon. This was not supposed to happen when he would ask me if I would start living with him.

It was supposed to be our next meeting on the crown prince's birthday. We would meet there. He would know that I was a daughter of a rogue marquis.

"Why?" He sounded hurt, but he hid it.

"There is an important matter that I must do." He didn't look convinced. "Also, this is too surprising that you would ask me to live...