"And internal security." Ahce's tone darkened. "Someone tried to assassinate you inside the Academy. That means someone isn't happy about this alliance."
"Or about me," he said quietly.
The memory of his limp body collapsing in her arms flashed in her mind. The white sheets soaked with blood, his skin unnaturally pale, the poison burning through him. The way she panicked, truly panicked, because she didn't know if he would live.
She shook the memory away. "Doesn't matter who they were after. What matters is we can't afford instability. Not now, not with the Zerg evolving."
Eros leaned back slightly, gaze settling on her. "Then we'll cooperate. Strategically. Publicly we may have to act the part. But privately, you'll set your boundaries, and I'll respect them."
She hesitated. "So no… expectations?"
His voice softened in a way that startled her. "Ahce, I won't demand affection from someone who owes me nothing."
