I watched through the mansion's shattered windows as the Imperial strike force advanced with military precision, and couldn't help but smile at how perfectly everything was unfolding. The sight of Cecilia and Lucifer leading the charge was exactly what I'd been waiting for—though admittedly, seeing them together sent a small spike of possessive irritation through me that I quickly suppressed.
This was different from the novel. In the original timeline, Cecilia and Lucifer had infiltrated the Masquerade Auction together as undercover operatives, playing the roles of wealthy collectors to gather intelligence from within. But now that Cecilia was mine—now that she cared more about protecting what belonged to her than following some predetermined script—she'd chosen a more direct approach.
Something delightfully, characteristically brash.
Like hitting the auction head-on with overwhelming firepower.
