She tapped her fingers once on the desk.
"Of course she's a great mage," Heena said. "One of the best in the empire, possibly one of the best on the continent. It's said the Emperor had to practically 'beg' her to accept the title of Duchess and join the family formally. And if it hadn't been for the late Empress — Celeste's mother, who was the Duchess's closest friend — he never would have convinced her."
Estov just stared at her, mouth slightly open, trying to process.
"Wait," he said. "Wait, okay, fine — so she's powerful, she's clever, she figured 'me' out. But—" he pointed at her, accusatory, "—how the 'hell' did she not figure out 'you'?!"
Heena looked at him for a long moment.
Then she laughed.
It was short, sharp, almost a scoff.
"Because," she said, "I am not a lovesick fool who gave away half of my cultivation to some bastard just because I 'fell in love,' and now that same bastard is chasing me across seven worlds like a deranged stalker."
