Noctisardor Bypass fouson

anselm was shocked. heda gently shook her head, eyes filled with a determination she meant to insist upon. gideon would be no less loved, no less adored, and no less wanted. the parentage of these sons must cease to matter, for both her and for anselm.
it bittered her a bit to know that after all the corruptive rises and falls, there would be no redemption for their relationship, not in the way she had originally wanted. a private daydream of hers, added to the stock of dissociative pleasantries into which she escaped whenever possible, was that anselm had accepted her undignified proposal that day.
suppose he had? would they have ever known?
heda kissed gideon's downy ears, then that of ezra. her eyes were clear when she set them on anselm again.