Page 125 of About Love and Revenge

“He wanted to avenge her.”

"I think so.”

“But he used you ashis tool. Why?”

“He didn't use me.”

“I'm not going to argue about that, but I'm going to ask you something you should stop to think about: why didn't he kill Leandros himself? Why all this work?”

“It wasn't so easy to get close to the unfortunate. He was surrounded by heavily armed men.”

“Do you know why your family was targeted by Argyros?"

“He and my mother were lovers.”

“Fuck!”He paces back and forth inside the room. “I still think you should back off. There is much more at stake than there was initially.”

“I know, but I can'tgo back.”

I get home, and it's strange that she hasn't come to meet me, but when I walk to where I suspect she is, I find her sitting on the library rug with some books around her.

She looks focused as she stares at the words in the book in front of her and copies them into her notebook.

I feel my throat clogging.

She has been very dedicated to her studies. Sometimes I'm even a little worried that she'll push herself too hard for a quick result and end up frustrated.

On the other hand, she seems so happy that I don't have the heart to tell her to slow down.

I don't know how long I just stand there watching her, but when she lifts her head and sees me, she makes a move as if to put away the material.

“Don’t stop. Were you studying?”

She nods. “Trying to read and copy.”

“Are you happy with the teachers?”

“Yes, they don't pressure me.”

I walk over to where she is and sit beside her on the floor. “I'm so proud of you.”

“I haven't given you a reason to be yet, but soon you'll be able to say things like that to me, God willing.”

“No, my Elina. I'm not just talking about your future achievements. I'm talking about what you are today. A strong and incredible woman. My Greek warrior.”

She gets into my lap. “Greek warrior?”

“Yes, I have my own goddess.”

“That sounds a little crazy.”

“What?”

“This talk about gods. Besides, I'm the one who's engaged to the god Odin,” she says and gives me a kiss. “I'll never forget the first time you read his story to me here.”

“Me neither. That day, you told me that you liked listening to people reading to you. Has anyone done that for you before?”

"A lady on the island who worked in the kitchen of our house read to me. She liked to read and couldn't afford to buy books. I had many inour library, but I couldn't read them . . . Anyway, for a while, we had this kind of friendship.”Her expression drops.

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