“You know, glass is pretty easy to break, Aria." Roar was watching here, his gaze thoughtful.”

“Roar leaned across the table and smiled at her seductively, his dark hair falling into his eyes. 'When you say everything happens in the Realms, do you mean everything?' Aria laughed nervously.'Yes. Especially that.There are no risks in the Realms.' Roar's smile widened. 'You simply think it and it happens? And it actually feels real?' 'Why are we talking about this?' 'I need a Smarteye,' he said.”

“His hand snapped shut over the device and then he crossed his arms. Aria stared in horror. Her Smarteye was buried in a Neanderthal’s armpit.”

“Come back with me, Aria. Be with me.”

“It didn't matter if Aria was hundreds of miles away, or whether she'd hurt him, or said goodbye, or anything else. Nothing would change the way he felt. The moment Aria had taken his hand on the roof at Marron's, she'd changed everything. No matter what happened, she'd always be the one.”

“From the corner of her eye, the wildflowers along the wall caught her attention. “Roar, wait!”Roar turned around. “Yes?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.Aria ran to the wall, scanning the flowers. She found the right one and plucked it. She drew in its scent and imagined Perry walking beside her, his bow across his back, looking over with his lopsided grin.She brought the flower to Roar. “I changed my mind,” she said. “Give him this.”Roar’s eyes crinkled in confusion. “I thought you liked roses. What’s this?”“A violet.” ”

“Perry could no longer deny that it was common knowledge. Aria was the safest path to him.”