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“Be careful, it’s strong.” Benedict smiled as he watched the girl take a few more sips, then answered her question. “For you, marriage is a chance to escape your mother, but for me, it means giving up my freedom.” “Do you think your wife will chain you up like a calf?”

“My prince.” At first, Reina flinched at the sharp sound, but then, glancing back with raised eyebrows and tightly pursed lips, she immediately curtsied. As always, she looked off to the side with a detached expression, waiting for the taunts to end. Konstantin, pushing off the wall in a half-unbuttoned shirt and dark trousers tucked into high boots, took a couple of leisurely steps toward Reina, then bit his lower lip and arched his eyebrows. “And where have you been so late?” His curls didn’t strike Reina as charming, and his broad chin didn’t speak of masculinity; it only marred his already meager good looks. Besides, the prince was, by Reina’s standards, too tall, and so her neck often ached when they talked for a long time. “From your father, my prince.” Translated with DeepL.com

“No!” Granger thought. She didn’t want to show her weaknesses; she didn’t want Snape to know how much his words could hurt her. That her indifference and reserve were often feigned, and that in reality, every word of his felt like a slap in the face to her diligence. Suddenly, fear gripped her mind, goosebumps covered her body, and her heart pounded wildly against her ribs. This wasn’t the worst thing she wanted to hide from the Dark Arts teacher. What on earth was she thinking when she agreed to this!

“So you didn’t get married a second time?” the girl asked thoughtfully, and immediately sensed a chuckle behind her. She pulled back slightly from his closeness, but when she looked at his face—which was no longer so gloomy—she found herself calming down without even meaning to. “Is that the first thing you want to ask?” He laughed even harder and barely managed to keep from throwing his arms around her. For the first time since they’d met, those cold eyes lit up. “A year is a long time! Especially since you thought I was dead.” Shay explained, a little annoyed, and tried to calm her heart, which had treacherously been seized by a strange thrill. “I’d rather risk taming a titan than get married a second time without your consent.”