Caius didn't know when it happened, but there was no doubt about it—Rose had rubbed off on him. He was having a conversation instead of a duel. He was doing his best to make sense of his cousin's actions even though the latter had betrayed him twice already, and the last betrayal was the worst of all.
"I wanted to make this better," Rylen said with a gasp. It sounded gut-wrenching. "I've acted no differently from you. Exploiting when the opportunity arises. My methods might be gentler, but the results are the same. I trapped her, and you built the bars for me."
He paused and looked at his cousin. His expression revealed just how hurt he was and just how much this took from him.
"I have forced myself on her too many times. I want her to choose to come to me. I didn't give her a choice in the matter; I wanted to seal the deal before she had second thoughts. I did it because she is that important, and perhaps I hoped she would choose me when presented with both options."
