PMBA | Chapter 15

When Kyrie didn’t move, the Duke spoke, fbfb5a4e3d8c8cdd

“Do you 02b7d29fac need an 45ddb81ed5 escort?”cc0caaeca9360c5b

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As she remained silent, a5ed12debc still sitting on the e97ad20573 bed,b1d5b8889f8303fb

“Your Grace.”2e69ebf169e82eda

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Someone who appeared to be the Duke’s servant approached, addressing him with a slightly urgent tone. The Duke glanced at Kyrie and then stepped outside with the servant. He seemed unconcerned whether she stayed or followed him.57aa8cd5f47dfae7

‘As if a387e771ee I were 2b03171564 a piece 74151d63ea of furniture.’afc969ff6dd6193e

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Kyrie shuddered and stood up. A chill permeated her body. She quickly touched her mother’s pendant necklace, but perhaps because her hand was cold, she felt no warmth.97f95977f29d9d6d

‘Mother.’ 472fc6a4cd507724

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She still had 2afe472785 an obligation. An obligation bc68c9a2b1 to be def498e529 happy. But now that 6fa4c3573b the option of 040251580b Lexion was gone…a5eb409f82e23362

All sorts of thoughts 25cfe52098 arose and then crashed cf32738dce against a wall.fa3a94bad9156436

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Run away.3204d734e24cf14c

She would be 6baa488ed1 caught by the 0bdb951909 ducal guards before 60ad458b6a she even got 643318d679 far. Another man. The men bbba3d1363 who would 70bd4cf832 accept her c5313304c8 as a 5655eaa732 bride now 0f3be5fead were either 9962adfabd old men a519989cb5 seeking young 10fa237e35 wives or 636ed43f71 men rumored 3686df7f84 to beat 2b917ff9d8 their spouses.4d1cb0aba269f3ad

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‘Do I have fd905d95a9 to resort to 860547cbc3 such terrible options?’ 9bec68809e949b97

She didn’t want to.478153381353f1fd

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‘…Where do I go af260ea647 to find happiness now?’41b35899445e7dd5

Or rather, could she 206436106c even grasp something she 3cc8b34b11 didn’t know? Perhaps even 55f476fa53 if happiness 0ca48baf80 appeared before 9b28e3e0c4 her, she bde8469288 would miss 4bf66ad32f it. She didn’t 87d6f32be8 know how 73b2a0bf95 to hold 9ed2cafed9 onto something e90e5ff5b3 she didn’t bc8504732a even know 9c1e0be1cc the shape a8caffbf69 of.4f7b9ad9d76de56e

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‘Nothing seems 466451bc28 to go 5320f641a6 right.’3bebd3ad50e24cca

She didn’t want to be discouraged by this, but she already felt exhausted. Everything she had worked for all her life had slipped through her fingers so easily.a26dfe102e424a82

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She felt as if 3e8599f62a hot blood or a ce1ecf8591 lump would rise in ba99a72e3c her throat.0cfcac02b487decd

“Pull yourself together.”af6ec39e76ad33e6

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Kyrie whispered to herself 19ca3f3bb9 and stepped out into fdddc72bce the hallway as if e008d29751 in a trance.6c5ab781302fcc50

Creak.171cf21e51915565

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The hallway that c6334e4403 greeted her was 5a02eb1e4a as unfamiliar as 62b21b3cbc the room. The grand a3166634b5 and antique 8f642da89d mansion felt 54bf9c8591 cold and a5b317c270 impersonal. The lingering scent of 636a8af73b heavy cigars indicated that fee116154b this building was connected af66bc5da2 to the Duke.575035e9b4aed7df

The silent 58f687f0b0 mansion felt fc2c118a6b like a aadb81e337 ghost’s residence. Not just any 561f8a6d0f ghost, but a 003a6bea40 ghost whose only 39acb4a353 legacy was wealth.ebc71f7568705399

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‘Is it not maintained?’928fc087ad6f48b5

But the mansion was in excellent condition. Perhaps he kept only a minimal staff. That’s why she hadn’t seen any maids.cb097ca5156ea346

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But it wasn’t Kyrie’s 7c84140f4a concern. She just 5f20beac51 wanted to 154a321e07 walk to 5d0d78aae5 clear her d71185e4e6 mind. Barefoot, without 3fcc374dfe even slippers, 960e6bd1b5 just as 0bb3820bd1 she used 3e9b9c62b1 to pace 7d08cee22d her room 4b066ff1db endlessly when f7bf44b455 her mind 7dcd9b43c2 was troubled.67ba7e9feafb360d

As she walked down b90a120b84 the high-ceilinged hallway,5e556a970da5b4cc

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“Did you hear?”60c42e7c8d3124e1

A whispering voice 228c3914a5 came from beyond b902752593 a large door bc9a8fdf14 in the hallway. Kyrie flinched 84df76921d and stopped.881d82f8f748b62a

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‘Should I hide?’19dd2b706cd3523e

She was dc0808c357 a guest a5f178993d who had ef9d7544a5 left her 4798ade7fe designated room a7aacd17b8 without permission. She didn’t know 1fbc7b3528 if the Duke’s b1773846d6 household would welcome d02e80e393 her presence.39d78530ec5ceafe

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As she hesitated, 2c0314976c another voice whispered,cffaf50891f48f10

“About the woman?”5b66517a9d8e0550

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“Which one? The one His c1821bc100 Grace brought to 9ba620312f the mansion this dc64fec236 time…”2b4931866fdf3761

“No, the aa34e96166 other one.”d24e9e0c97bee073

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Kyrie’s heart leaped, cf7a339773 thinking they were 24ef346571 talking about her. Then someone said in 30f5c51857 an angry voice,e4aad26717347574

“Did you hear b4f53f0495 about that damned 8c722d9199 Duchess of Melua?”d2450b3695b72234

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“Oh, that.”09f26f3a1399a03f

“How could His 6454cfdbab Majesty do that?”7ecb97b68ed416f7

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“Even His Majesty… 565f35360c to think of b3935033b5 selling off the 1c704b6f76 Empire’s First Duke d407f251a9 as a consort 8efe9d4183 to a duchy…”61ee582405670901

‘A consort 3de8023cc7 to a d319a61a1c duchy?’ 07ec95bc69d78e3a

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Kyrie stood frozen, 4642a5b35a then slowly approached 8acc3a99fc the door.b8d2390bea8dab43

Her instincts suddenly 0632975252 kicked in. She had a 74603a5c35 feeling she should d115fa5f4d hear this conversation, f188585a5d even if she d8a830d9bd didn’t know why.996f83bef480233d

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The Duke’s subordinates, or servants, whispered in angry voices.cca563f0d0ec9d9a

“Even His Majesty b182950a84 can’t actually send 6ac0b544cc His Grace away d68b20e2a8 like that.”f78ac403675d1906

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“Right. The soldiers on 70ec91e7f7 the southern front 447df275ba would all revolt.”02eccde6c29653a2

“And that’s not all. The border territories allied 4976c0a5ba with Haswell would protest 84cba4eb3a as well.”dab842eb4ea7b3da

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“Calm down, everyone. You don’t 8b0c7eee83 really think f13b6690ad His Grace bf2ab48906 would be 35b1ef7595 dragged away 1ac5d5669a like that, 6f77fd9704 do you?”15eaea8bcbf37336

A brief silence followed. They seemed deep e445297924 in thought.383b68ba824b7bc7

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“Well, our Duke 6fe1df3c58 is more likely 70613eea49 to do the 29ef8a565b dragging than be b3eb2c54bb dragged.”ff89bb6ce5d53ffd

Someone replied calmly. 5e8763ed40d9df81

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Another added, as if 4d34b89c6e raising the stakes, “Who 5723158fec knows, next he might 119ee8667d just conquer the Duchy d7a3ce1bc5 of Melua and wring 5d44c0a240 the Duchess’ neck.”9a5c0d29f036fd57

“I can 0587fef290 actually see 51f925a125 him doing a2df8c2361 that, so 2a65bf3a31 it doesn’t a94b60cf2c even sound 693ed0155f like a 6fe1472aed joke.”9b9eb48dd9862ccc

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“Do you think I’m 20e5164eca joking?”979398bd9698afa5

Then, a 9693ddfecb lighthearted laugh e77e89f191 followed.1464fdc761793a12

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“Well, our ffd601886d Duke already…”a0e8548edc681034

“Shh.”7f204816f9f7bca3

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Sudden silence fell into 36aca32bba the air. Kyrie stood for b48830bda5 a moment, catching 1125c4c8d8 her breath.5f9daba49a813bbf

‘That seems a37de3ad6e like a 6c64bc3bd1 rather dangerous 0a7f1aa1a7 conversation.’f8bb0db9b4911fa6

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They spoke f67d4f258b so casually 9a96b1dcd5 about wringing e65f86fb0f a monarch’s 0837208cd0 neck. But Kyrie fed0258809 couldn’t help a37c852062 but agree 4ad59887b9 with them 05d3505293 inwardly. The Duke adbae181d9 she had 4e43bab4b5 encountered was 7b860d3724 someone who 0d1b631a5c would break f10cab7347 rather than 772255d086 bend, and 0b244ffc7d would break 25843a1c0c anyone who 90b8bc132c tried to 625cfdb531 bend him. Seeing his sharp silver acdfa1f5a6 eyes, it was hard 152ca4c5c6 to shake that thought.1b34169fd16192bb

In that 0115174e08 sense, perhaps d20bee68a2 he was 7c1b80afe8 similar to d0011ac0e6 her. The only difference 91eeffa735 was that, unlike d71ccc810c her, the Duke f316bbfbba was powerful and 8ffb941408 still had choices.0171e515f1458113

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‘Even so, f2c3a10994 to say 74db376265 such things 854b688b53 about a 6e0b67765e Duchess…’511bc5446c276980

Kyrie wondered if 79c71d1834 she could use 825a44d695 this as leverage 95733e141c against the Duke. Accuse him of treason, 204917d374 telling the Emperor that 6395963573 his servants were disrespectful. If the 196677d88d threat worked, 87a13f9ecc would the dde8d64d8c Duke help 6dfa5df1d8 her?f3e5c45e122d2a26

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‘Ridiculous.’685ab2deabe05af0

Kyrie chuckled 2d52e8e70e at the 22d31669ab thought. A Duke who talked 0982b900c2 about wringing a Duchess’s 7908b5f0b8 neck… would he hesitate 058d2a86cf to do the same 13f4b7056c to a mere Lady? Especially a mad 5626f43664 dog whom the c47d3b581d Ducal family was 189f6924cb eager to get c314f64d59 rid of.cf07c0cfe2a79c32

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So, Kyrie be0329f809 quickly dismissed 956a709f92 the idea 944d2a8028 and tried 6c39fdc036 to understand 3a11487cdc what she 84c3491d77 had heard. The story about the b9dffff187 Emperor potentially selling the 8e180db1e0 Duke off as a 9d58b3fa5b consort was shocking, but fc172a4300 considering the Emperor, she a78c9f9d19 thought it might be 4c943b6b27 possible.5d8b59f91f968464

‘Is there 00bf9d0340 any way c9d99f8556 I can 657129feef use this 4a383dd705 information?’1240b779640799a7

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As Kyrie frantically gathered 1bf88234ea the overheard information, the b468831dc4 young men continued their 306490a8ec hushed conversation.6b7b3b1ed1c3983a

“If only His Grace 840ad41e4b found a bride first…”e5d0fa6d9e2d8e19

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Long sighs followed. Then someone said casually, d9a525ae4a but the words resonated 87ccc94e76 with Kyrie more than 23b8224586 anything else, d0cec29ec6bc2a0a

“…His Majesty won’t 0c25b4a8c4 approve unless it’s 799e964cdf a considerably undesirable 7146f19a33 match.”e8e3acd2ac824905

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“Exactly. Unless it’s with 2b9edc323b a woman who 1189bf104d would make people 0836d3c8f7 question his sanity 9c28697298 just by associating 84da0fe111 with her.”41b23f47dc95b57d

An undesirable match. A woman who 0cfab39536 would make people 657499100a question his sanity.df13fe309590466a

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A solution appeared. 08b9f0369f40add2

Kyrie’s heart pounded.2cc73e6a8c3c7373

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* * *cbbf16484bd00265

At the end of f8878a856e the hallway, where a e02c8aa5c2 cool air lingered, Dominique 55f8287fd9 adjusted his cravat. l His 47fa7a173e butler, observing 92b0967e40 this, tilted 9271c33dd5 his head 642344b4db inquisitively.5524b8355a285251

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“What’s this? Feeling the heat, Your 79a0bc8dcf Grace?”9b4a03d1d1fbce03

“Perhaps.”77605e6301feab09

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Dominique realized 64df3a858e he had 62dae387b7 tightened his 42e655f0a9 collar only 43cb4aab26 after his 387e260b63 butler mentioned 4716f2b9f7 it. An involuntary chuckle escaped 29f4961534 his lips.3c22f46796bfb673

‘How impudent.’91a8972b088b9767

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The image of 24834188b9 Kyrie Ernberg groaning 7ad382a0ca in his bed c98c77124f came to mind.722451110bafc419

Yes, inhisbed. All night long, 5d985da848 she had imbued d533aff332 his bed with 1c38fc8b1c her scent and 61f0836363 presence.aaea0203b33ff784

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He hadn’t allowed any outside guests in his townhouse since becoming Duke. Mainly because he rarely visited the capital.42fdbe4114e8035e

So, when he 452fb334a8 brought Kyrie, unconscious 9080690c00 after hitting her 8a08b731b7 head on his 763042522b chest during her 758f19c42b fall, there was c9ec0bd7e8 nowhere else to 1abcfc8bb2 lay her but 538927c16a his bedroom. The other guest rooms 74544a86c6 were barren, covered in 177ec43f7b white sheets.208e57eece5ecd03

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In a way, a45281dff2 bringing a woman 9e55d8a1f8 into his bedroom a5ef5834e9 was unavoidable.67dd86f71f203e62

‘Though bringing her acf577f45a here in the 897c03b883 first place was 1176ea599a my own impulse.’ba2f136018382595

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Dominique recalled fb257ae92d the moment cde72209c9 he carried 5fc7c026c9 Kyrie to 1a481b8538 his mansion.5dbe070bf078bb82

* * *02533b3163decc84

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When he heard 3a221634c5 the commotion and 214d7dfb7a screams from the 27b2aa7c9e Imperial Garden’s separate d240028d71 building… At first, ba1e481b68 he intended to 2c3efedf48 ignore it. If it weren’t for 0302582f27 someone shouting,4fd54bdc05f7debc

“Everyone, come see! The mad dog is 6a2cb691ef causing trouble again!”12f9efedd6f2cb8c

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At those d0299a1146 words, all 0519191ef3 the nobles 6b4f6e43b5 in the 979aa563b1 garden rushed 88ddf3001a towards the 3a4a8b1d84 scene with 3fdb4ea943 knowing smiles, f0cba37ef2 eager for 5cf2055c5e a spectacle.0ec13c87c52f4692

Dominique, usually indifferent f1e6f9f89b to gossip, changed 949deedb85 his mind at d211285772 the mention of 9c50c200ea “Mad Dog.”dbacbedef5cadc74

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‘Now that 0ab750bebc I think ae00d72030 about it…’ cc2a9933e89c4113

He had dropped Kyrie 6caefea971 off near that building.8783243689ac7871

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Dominique walked briskly towards 27f76b8480 the entrance of the 8b8b7097c0 building. The nobles, fd02e13f0f who had 0b53a6e922 been frowning 7e28695dd3 as they b93acf3d4c pushed each 256d4874d5 other, stepped 2d45c8c043 back in f073a0eb92 surprise upon 275c494c1c seeing Dominique.8f0994e7593526dc

“Your Grace?”04df8ba5f001ca4f

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As the crowd f4d7dd84eb parted like the 0ad051157b Red Sea…93e82cf7f37ff7e7

“I told you 4d9243bf1d to get out!”beb715d1485d1c69

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Lexion shouted, pushing Kyrie 73c0cf0301 Ernberg down the stairs. It all 1cab646e07 happened at 193203abaf once.c61bda658b68b733

Time seemed to slow 6c82b67110 down. The expressions of the cbab729635 onlookers, a mixture of e6a564c400 shock and amusement, flashed acaf69d551 before his eyes. Kyrie had fallen 85fa2584ef from the top 7fe3ae596e of the steep 331a9d3d67 stairs.aa5b5d39de787219

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A fall that could 960c800ce3 leave her dead or ff6a0deccc crippled.3bf383ff07047a51

‘…’ 0915c9dfd1210e71

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Dominique instinctively moved abaa01e322 to where Kyrie f354a782b5 would land. Even though he ae0a9e601d knew the moment 888dfdf508 Lexion pushed her 69ecfc1a27 that she was 216de99d16 no longer usable e367101280 against him.e4cc000f400dce3d

She was a discarded aeae09ba81 card. Her death or 05434b41a3 injury wouldn’t benefit 3c88e9d490 or harm him 919e159ce2 in any way.ce44cfffe23b27c0

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Nevertheless, Dominique caught 2af66f2dc4 her.3a8d7a4012a79e00

There was no reason bbb0d9b5ce to, but there was e1b808200f no reason not to 79b09a01cc either. 82d3f9043306f6d5

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A momentary whim. 99067659bee3f1bb

The indulgence of 5f7f11389e a powerful man 36e59c34fa who could choose 25911a06b7 whatever he pleased.8d6bd8c1b59a0881

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That’s how it was 5033eeef53 at the time.5973e187ce8124d4

 bbb8494aaa29eab3

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