Caught in confusion amidst Duke Kleo's nostrils rubbing her crook of the neck, as if to leave the most visible imprint, amidst his exhalations which were like soft and tickling feathers.
Lyra bit her lip, clenched her fists, closing her eyes tightly.
"Why didn't you answer?" asked Duke Kleo suddenly, still hiding his face. "Are you refusing my rules? But sadly that's the only way you can get a little freedom, as you wish." The emphasis of his voice was impressive, one thing he was very good at.
Getting someone into a corner, leaving someone with no other choice was one of his undoubted abilities. This makes him often assigned to various areas with high levels of conflict, to win something.
Lyra should have remembered that.
"If I do that then you must not break the promise."
"I am a moral noble," he snorted. "Keeping promises is one of the basic etiquettes of a moral noble. Even we will abide by the war treaty."
