“Fine. Then I’ll be happy to assume you’re utterly smitten, and that you’ve never met anyone else in all the Realms like me.” Light-voiced, chin still lifted, proud as anything as he slips between steps as if he were born for this.

“Because there is no one like me. Not ever before, and not ever again.”

Chaos stitched into him as surely as the gold and pearl fastened to his corseted shirt, the high rise of his collar.