Serah didn't even flinch at his last words. Her expression stayed composed, unshaken, as she slipped the orb Marcus had handed her into the pocket of her coat with practiced calm.
"Fair enough. I guess I can live with that," she said smoothly. "At least now I know that underneath all the fake flirty lines and charming nonsense, there's still a remorseless killer lurking." Her lips curled into a rare, teasing smirk.
Marcus tilted his head with mock offense. "Fake? Oh no, princess—don't insult me like that. Everything I've said about you? That's one hundred percent truth, straight from the heart." He flashed a grin. "Were you not paying attention when I said I liked you? I can lie about most things, sure. I'm a dark mage—it comes with the job. But when it comes to what captivates me? What I find genuinely interesting? Nah. That's the one thing I don't fake. And you, my dear princess... you check both boxes."
