Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

Back to me-Violet-again, and I had to complain a little.

About my husband, Isaac Prince, of course.

Heavens help me, but that man truly had a talent for being infuriating!

Before our marriage, we had come to an agreement. In the future, whatever I chose to do, he would not interfere, would not advise, and most certainly would not involve himself.

Well, it had only been a year since our wedding, and that agreement had already gone out the window. Now, he insisted on doing everything with me.

But could he even be part of the work I did? Of course not.

The Pathfinders Guild had strict rules, and there was even a rather fearsome man -Sage Everett-keeping watch. If they ever discovered I had taken Isaac with me to personally punish people in my own way... Wouldn't they grind my bones to dust?

Yet, Isaac claimed he was a man of the martial arts world, and that in such a world, one settled debts of gratitude and grudges alike. And yes, that included other people's grudges too. He argued that if we kept everything well hidden, the guild would never find out.

Had my dear husband forgotten he was in the Ministry of Defense now? And that he was a proper official? How could he still speak of settling grudges like some wandering hero?

The things I did I hadn't even told Cari all of it. And if she had guessed anything, she chose to turn a blind eye. It was a matter of roles, understand? Our positions didn't allow for such entanglements.

I wasn't an official, nor did I serve the court. I only did what I wished to do, and whatever consequences came of it, I bore alone.

Over the years, I had offered the Royal Citadel no small number of clues and pieces of evidence. As for cases with no evidence, I would use my own methods to force out the details of the crime. If the details matched, there was basically no chance of wrongful accusations.

the investigations. If it had been left to me alone, I would never have uncovered so much. But that was the extent of Claire's help.

very identities-belonged in the light. I, however, could only move

be a middle ground between black and white. However, the law could only punish those caught and proven guilty. What about the rest? Should they just wait for

case, I would

he insisted on joining me in action, I was far

Besides, he said that he only developed weapons in the Ministry of Defense. By day, he was part of the armory division; by night, he was simply Isaac. And

not out-talk him or

my orders without question, and under no circumstances was he to challenge my authority or try

we had come to

when we first met, the idea of us ending

you say you'd never marry? And now

thoroughly against the idea of marriage—that I hated it from the bottom of my

But that wasn't true.

had attended many weddings. Everything, from the joyful scenes and lively music to the bride in her fine robes and splendid

I had once dreamed of it

no mind to gossip. Even if I heard it, I never thought it had anything to do with me or the Spencer family. But as I grew older, I began to understand. The woman they whispered

what it meant. If it had only been the adults, I might have endured it. But even the

could I bear

wrong, but I knew what

couldn't be solved by beating the other

fierce, unafraid

and I struck