We were strolling in the gardens. Count Belsky. I hadn't heard anything about them, nor had I heard about Ilya. Was he lying to me? I couldn't help but feel suspicious of him. I hadn't met anyone who didn't have an ulterior motive. Even my husband, only married me so that he could protect his people: the Evander Duchy.
That was why I couldn't use that name. He had done it for the sake of his people and now I was going to become the Duchess. It felt like a lie.
"I like roses," Ilya said, "It's a classic flower, don't you think?" His eyes looked into mine. They were very different from Carlisle's, a steely blue, the gentle hue of the sky just before it rained. It was a very pretty color.