He could only hope that the exhaustion didn’t weigh down under his eyes. Labor in his breath. Show any sign of existing that he couldn’t bury.

Maybe it was time for someone else to deal with her. Maybe someone else could put her on the right path. She let their father take the fall for her, but she hadn’t hurt him directly.

Maybe a man who loved her would set her straight.

… Aslan found himself skimming the crowd for rich fucks instead.

Maybe someone who deserved to die would be a better bet first. He glanced to a well-moneyed looking crowd that seemed on their way out.

“Plenty of well-mannered men,” he agreed … then after a pause, “and women.”

Hm, no. A woman wouldn’t solve the problem. Best not to say that out loud, though.