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for the door to his private quarters until a flicker of blue caught his eye.
    A woman clothed in sheer indigo silk stood in the shadows. The way the material clung to her curves left little to the imagination, but his gaze didn’t linger there. A thin veil concealed most of her face, allowing only her teal eyes to shine through. Was it possible for someone to have eyes that color?
    “I thought I would personally present this gift to you.”
    “What do you mean?” Surely she wasn’t a gift for him. He licked his lips, and his cock stiffened. He hadn’t touched a woman since Lucia died, yet somehow, the mere sight of this woman managed to awaken desires that had lain dormant for the last two years. The change alarmed him enough to where he took a step back.
    “I thought she would be a nice addition to your harem.”
    “I don’t have a harem.”
    Pontus laughed. “Every emperor has had one, even your father.”
    She flinched when Pontus ran his finger along her arm, and her eyes widened. Titus could almost imagine her grimacing behind the veil. Anger burned through his veins that she’d been forced into a situation she obviously abhorred. “Maybe I should be the one to change things.”
    “Nonsense, coz. Just remove her veil, and I believe you will enjoy your Imperial privileges.”
    “I don’t want anything you’ve sampled.” The thought of Pontus offering his used goods disgusted him almost as much as trading a woman like a cow.
    “No, I haven’t touched her, although I’ve been tempted. I concealed her beauty under the veil, as is the custom for all the emperor’s concubines, so that no one will lay eyes on her but you.”
    Too bad the fabric barely covered her naked body. Her dark nipples formed tight buds underneath the silk, and he longed to run his thumbs over them. He shook his head and stared at floor. He should not have those kinds of thoughts about a woman. Not when there were so many other things at stake. “That was very kind of you, but if you don’t mind, I’m very busy at the moment, and I’d appreciate it if you would schedule an appointment to discuss the status of things in Anicium later.”
    “As you wish, Your Imperial Majesty.” Pontus bowed again, and the door thudded closed as he left.
    It wasn’t until Titus heard the shuffle of footsteps behind him that he realized Pontus had left the woman.
    …
    Azurha waited in the shadows when Pontus left. If she wanted to complete her mission, she had the perfect opportunity to do so. She had already bypassed the Legion, gaining access to his personal quarters. The emperor’s back faced her. It would be so simple to wrap the silk veil around his throat and end his life with a quick snap. And yet, her feet remained fixed to the floor, her body frozen like the marble statues of the gods that adorned the city’s temples.
    So why was she hesitating?
    She remembered the snarl on his face when Pontus had presented her, as if it was an insult to give him a woman to fulfill his sexual pleasures. When he’d said he should be the one to abolish the Imperial tradition of having a harem, her pulse had raced. Maybe for all the Deizians’ concerns, the emperor’s studies in philosophy would make him a better ruler. A man of true nobility.
    She almost laughed at herself for thinking such things. What did a cold-blooded killer like her know about nobility? She would willingly sully her hands with anyone’s blood for the right price. But as she studied him, she wondered if he would live up to his ideals. By the gods, she shouldn’t admire him like that, especially since she’d been hired to kill him.
    He was more handsome than she had imagined he would be, with his golden hair and tanned skin. If the gods could produce a mortal child, this was what he would look like. Only his slightly crooked nose gave away his humanity. A flaw in an otherwise perfect face. She licked her lips and crept towards him, wanting to study him closer before she drained