Catherine looked at Maximilian.
There was a clarity in those blue-violet eyes that reassured her more than any medical report could. His body was still recovering, but his mind... his mind was astonishingly sharp.
And there was one thing she had learned about Maximilian across both lifetimes.
Once he made up his mind, nothing—not reason, not pain, not even she herself—could make him change it.
A helpless smile tugged at her lips.
The truth was...
She wanted him there too.
She knew it was selfish. He had awakened from a coma only hours ago, and she was already contemplating taking him halfway across the country into the middle of the biggest battle of her life.
Any reasonable person would call her heartless.
Her schedule left no room for mistakes. Every minute had been planned. Every conversation, every appearance, every revelation had to happen exactly on time. If Maximilian's condition suddenly worsened, even for a moment, her concentration would shatter.
Yet...
