There’s a risk I trip down the stairs and break my neck, too. Ilyushka, don’t always assume the only option is to throw yourself on the sword to block it, alright? It’s not you, me, and him alone in a dark alley. I’m a Dominant and he’s a Submissive, too, and even if I think the laws are shitty I can still use them against him if it comes down to it. We can make plans and strategize to keep everyone safe—together.

[She bumps him with her shoulder, her smile turning gentle.]

Hey. A house is just a bunch of walls with an extra one on top. If you want to make it a home, you gotta put your heart into it. ...don’t forget why I even went to Vesuvia—to the palace—in the first place, dummy.