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him.”
    â€œHow can you have so much faith in me? Honestly,” she asked. “Aren’t you afraid of your father?”
    He set aside his bowl. “No.”
    â€œAnd there. That,” she said, watching his profile in the flickering light. “I don’t like what happens to you when you think about him, and now we’re actually going to have to negotiate with him.”
    Leon shifted slightly, allowing a gap of space to widen between them. She hated that.
    She softened her voice. “Why don’t you talk about him?”
    He pushed a hand back through his hair. “Why do you bring him up? We know he’s ruthless. He’s also politically astute, which is in our favor. He can’t afford to look as ruthless as he is, so outwardly, he’ll have to be diplomatic.”
    She uncoiled and reached for her stew again, then swallowed another spoonful. She didn’t have to be looking at the scars on Leon’s back to know they were there. “It’s what he can do to you privately that worries me,” she said.
    Leon tossed a bit of a stick into the fire. “You don’t need to worry about me. There’s nothing left there, Gaia.”
    She doubted the Protectorat felt equally neutral about Leon. “What about your mother?”
    â€œI left on decent terms with Genevieve. There won’t be any reason to see her much, not when I’m living outside the wall with you.”
    Gaia suspected that was an over-simplification, too. Uneasy, she glanced down at her monocle and locket watch, glinting in the firelight. Somewhere ahead, in a grave in Potter’s Field, her father lay decomposing, if he wasn’t dust in the dry earth already. She had no idea if her mother was buried beside him, though she hoped so. Complicated as Leon’s family was, at least he had people to return to. His sister Evelyn would welcome him, and his brother Rafael, too. He had a birth father outside the wall. By contrast, Gaia had no family to return to, beyond her newfound brother Jack and another brother in the Enclave she’d never even met.
    A spark snapped in the fire, and the logs shifted, letting out a new burst of heat. “Do you think you’ll get to know Derek better?” Gaia asked.
    â€œHe’s a good man. I’m not sure how much he’ll want me involved with his new family, but I’ll certainly look him up. He’d want that much, I know.” Leon smiled, studying her attentively. “You don’t need to worry about my family liking you,” he said. “It’s not like we need anyone’s approval.”
    â€œI know.”
    He drew her hand into his so she could feel the warmth in his fingers. “Marry me,” he said. “Don’t make me wait anymore.”
    She’d known this question was coming again. He’d been patient for a whole year. But knowing the moment was here didn’t mean she was ready.
    â€œGaia, we’re starting a new life. We should do it together,” he added. “You know we should. You can’t still have doubts about us.”
    â€œI don’t about you,” she said. “I’m sure about you.” And she was. No one would ever love her as deeply as Leon did.
    He almost sounded hurt, and she couldn’t stand that.
    â€œThen what’s left?”
    â€œI’m afraid,” she said. “I don’t care if it’s not rational. I’m afraid the Protectorat will go after you deliberately because I’m the Matrarc. He could try to hurt you to manipulate me if we’re married.”
    â€œYou’re too late, then,” Leon said. “He’ll know we love each other whether we’re married or not. All he has to do is ask anyone who’s seen us together this past year.”
    â€œWe could pretend we’ve argued,” she suggested.
    â€œAnd then you’d what? Pretend to start up with someone else?” His voice turned