she asked , her expression warm as she studied me . he glanced down and saw he 'd left a hickey on her breast . for some reason this caused me to blush , and i tried to disguise my response with another question . i drove my blade as deep as i could , the shaking causing it to cut deeper into the eye . it was a gesture that would have to remain forever in the shadows . `` all those years , i came by the palace every night , always with a new joke . 