Nikolai nodded, the weight of it all clearly heavy on his shoulders but he could see the wisdom in Kirigan’s words. He was right.
“The Apparat. He should be punished. Death.” That was his order. “A warning to any watching that we are not weak. A small funeral for my family.” He looked to Alina. “We should marry, sooner than expected. Provide stability. It won’t be a grand ceremony but-“
“That never mattered to me,” she assured him. “So we shall marry.”