-Valindra-
I knew my words had shocked him. They weren’t the kind of words one expected to hear from a woman, but honestly, I hadn’t given much thought to children.
“You continue to surprise me,” he admitted, his voice tinged with admiration.
Then he took a step back and nodded, as if he understood, and I thought I was free to leave. I took a step forward, but he shook his head, and I froze.
“I won’t force you to have children if you don’t want them, but I do want you to consider this carefully,” he insisted. “Take a few days. Go home to your family. Reflect on this: Where do you see yourself spending your days? Then come back with your answer. I’ll have a guard escort you home, just to be safe. Agreed?”
I hesitated for a moment, but the thought of leaving here, even though I had alr
