Dear to me - that sounded extremely promising. The gift of courage granted Kanaya a degree of momentum as she moved into the more confident parts, which she had to some extent rehearsed.

"I know you could, sweetheart. That's exactly what I was so afraid you would say. It only increases the temptation.... the risk I pose to your livelihood."

She raised her left hand, with the index and middle fingers tightly crossed.

"That is, for a longer time than I'd care to acknowledge... I've wanted to lay formal claim to your affections and intermingle your life with my own venomous unholy approximation of existence."