---
He was thinking. He was measuring.
The Veil of Crimson Silence could hide the bloodline change.
The marriage could be kept private for now. Quiet. Something witnessed by as few eyes as necessary. Elena would almost certainly object first and then rearrange the house to protect it because that was who she was.
Lady Seraphiel would laugh once and then become terrifyingly helpful. Ben would somehow know before anyone told him because men like Ben were born under cursed stars of awareness.
It could be done.
Dangerously.
Messily.
But done.
And Lily…
She was still looking at him. Still waiting. Still refusing to be less brave than the future in front of her.
Sekhmet's thoughts slowed. Then sharpened into a decision.
He lifted her hand slightly and turned it once in his grasp, looking at her fingers, her pulse, the ordinary mortal delicacy of skin that had no idea yet what kind of eternity it had just asked for.
Then he raised his eyes to hers again.
"Fine," he said.
