She had defended his honor with the uncompromising ferocity of a mother bear defending a cub.
The battered ego of the Archduke didn't just heal; it was explosively restored by a tidal wave of pure, heart-melting affection.
Kaelus slowly lowered his head, covering the lower half of his face with his black-gloved hand to hide the completely out-of-character, ridiculously fond smile that was currently threatening to split his face in half. His shoulders shook slightly with a suppressed, breathless chuckle.
'Look at how the little Squirrel puffed her cheeks at them,' Kaelus thought, his chest feeling so warm he legitimately thought he might be developing a fever. 'She defended me and threatened Gallahan with a stick. I have never loved anything in this universe as much as I love her right now.'
