Chapter one hundred and eighty five

But Cleopatra pushed those thoughts aside, knowing they were dangerous. She couldn’t afford to let her feelings get in the way of their mission. She needed Elena’s trust, and she couldn’t risk losing it.

So Cleopatra made a decision. She would hide her feelings for Rhys, keep them locked away. Dead and buried. She would focus on gaining Elena’s trust, on working together to achieve their goal.

It wouldn’t be easy, Cleopatra knew. She would have to be careful, guarded. She would have to pretend that Rhys’s death didn’t haunt her, that she didn’t feel a pang of sadness every time she thought of him. But Cleopatra was willing to do whatever it took to make things right. She would put aside her own desires, her own feelings, for the sake of their mission.

As she looked at Elena, Cleopatra felt a pang of guilt. She was hiding something from her, something important. But she pushed the feeling aside, focusing on the task at hand. “Let’s get started,” Cleopatra said, her voice firm. “We have