Juli was given pause at Olivia’s tone when she insisted that there was no need to worry over the assassin.<em>So she already has formulated some sort of plan involving LeChance.</em>It belatedly occurred to the soldier that her new lover must be unusually devious—how else would such a foreign-looking woman have risen to political power in Nydewia in the first place? But this did not bother Juli in and of itself. After all, who more than Major Juliette had relied on misdirection and subterfuge to survive? The only difference was what sort of battlefield the two women were accustomed to fighting on.<em>There’s nothing wrong with trickery used to the right ends.</em>The real question was, just what ends did her sweet Olivia pursue? Perversely, the idea that there was such uncertainty and danger about Olivia only made Juli desire her all the more.<br/><br/>The princess was very touched by how regretful Olivia looked at the necessity of her departure—and Juli was a little saddened as well. “I love you,” she replied softly, enjoying the last kiss of the night and the last glance of Olivia’s exquisite body before she dressed once more.<br/><br/>After all the days events, Juli’s mind ought to have been racing. But she was physically exhausted from their love-making and just as mentally run down from stress—within minutes of being left alone, Juli was sound asleep.