love bites so deep

BASTIEN

you'll never settle any of your scores
your grace is wasted in your face

Rexanna supposed the war would be against the Fae, too. Bastien sighed. He knew himself, he knew his principles. If Zariah tried to force him to saunter into the woods and slaughter innocent people, he would cut his own throat before he murderered any of them. He didn't say this, not wanting to worry Rexanna, but he hoped fervently the army was just a scare tactic, something Zariah was using to feel strong.

When she told him what she had done, at first he felt relief. It didn't sound so bad, not when he had been imagining all kinds of damage to her. But as she stepped away, admitted that she did not even know what it entailed, his heart dropped to his stomach. What had she done? What had he made her do?

"Rexanna..." He walked behind her, looked with her to the moonlight. "You should not have...I...I am not worth this, love. What if she asks you to do something awful? Service to the crown could mean...so many things." Bastien had no respect whatsoever for any 'crown' or the things done in it's service. "I wish I had not forced you back into the cage you have already escaped once."

It was written on her face and on her clothes, the resigned knowledge that she was back where she'd started, and he hated it. Hated that he'd promised to move her to the future and he'd locked her in the past.

your boldness stands alone
among the wreck