“Itʹs not just the dress or the hair. Itʹs you. Youʹre beautiful. So beautiful, it hurts me.ʺ”

“Itʹs always worthwhile to make others aware of their worth.”

“ʺYour hair was beautiful too. All of you. You were amazingwhen we first met, and somehow, inexplicably, youʹve come even farther. Youʹve alwaysbeen pure, raw energy, and now you control it. Youʹre the most amazing woman Iʹve evermet, and Iʹm glad to have had that love for you in my life. I regret losing it.ʺ He grewpensive. ʺI would give anything—anything—in the world to go back and change history.To run into your arms after Lissa brought me back. To have a life with you. Itʹs too late,of course, but Iʹve accepted it.ʺ”

“What?" I asked uneasily. "Why are you looking at me like that?"He shook his head, the smile rueful now. "Because sometimes, a person can get so caught up in the details that they miss the whole. It's not just the dress or the hair. It's YOU. You're beautiful. So beautiful, it hurts me.”

“ʺWhy,ʺ he began slowly, ʺis Victor Dashkov joining us?ʺʺWell, itʹs kind of a funny story . . .ʺ”

“You're beautiful, Roza. So beautiful it hurts me.”