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“Well, go then. Why are you wasting time speaking with me. Hurry up!” he insisted, pushing her slightly to get her moving.

“I’m going!”

“I’ll check with you in a few days to see if you’ve succeeded. I would like to ingratiate myself to this new Sirena.”

“I wish you a good day, brother!” she shouted happily as she hurried away from him.

As she turned another corner up ahead and stepped into the main corridor of the East wing, he lost sight of her. He raised his hand to his cheek again and wiped at the spot she’d kissed on his cheek once more. The disgust on his face clear, he lifted his lip as a snarl escaped him and turned down another corridor to quickly get out of the palace. “Maybe she’ll finally manage to be of use to me,” he grumbled.

Chapter 8

Mirilla rushed into the royal corridor of the East wing and slowed to a normal walk. She smiled happily as she made her way down the corridor toward the royal residence. Why would she not? She had a position at the palace she loved. She was close personal friends with the Sovereigna, and hoped to soon be the same with the Sirena. Her smile faltered for a moment as she considered what she was about to do. She’d already been turned away once, and hated to make a nuisance of herself, but had no choice other than to follow the Sovereigna’s direction.

Bolstering her courage, and building up a little fortitude, she squared her shoulders, brushed her hands down her long, straight skirt, and reinforced her smile.

She saw the two guards standing outside the royal residence long before she reached the middle of the corridor where they stood. They didn’t turn to look at her, but she had no doubt they knew she was there. They’d known since she’d set foot in the corridor.

She came to a stop in front of them, smiling up at both of them. She knew them both well from their time as personal guards for their Sovereigna, and it was obvious they didn’t deem her a threat or they’d have already reacted to remove her from the corridor. “Hello, Yaghn. Var don, how are you?”

Neither answered right away; they were on duty.

“You know I wasn’t able to see the Sirena earlier, but our Sovereigna has requested that I return with a personal message for her.”

Yaghn finally focused on her. “Mirilla, Zahn asked you to leave when you tried to see her before. We can’t give you access.”

“Yes, he did. But this time, I have a message that must be delivered in person. It’s from our Sovereigna.”

“Mirilla, we know you well. And you are much respected, but our orders are that no one gets inside.”

“Please. Just ask if she’ll see me long enough for me to deliver the message so I can at least let our Sovereigna know I tried. If after you tell her that I only wish to deliver the message, and to welcome her to the palace, she still won’t see me, I’ll go.”

Neither made a move to try to grant her entrance, or to even go find out if she could enter.

“I can’t believe that she’s really so hard to deal with that you won’t even ask if she wishes to receive her message.”

“She’s not hard to deal with at all. In fact, she’s kind and considerate,” Yaghn said.

“And funny. She’s got a sense of humor,’ Var don said, nodding to affirm what he’d just said.

“Then I wonder why she won’t speak to me,” Mirilla said.

“She’s with child, tired and overwhelmed. And she has visitors. In fact, one of them just returned from meetings with our Sovereign. Perhaps another day.”

Mirilla pressed her lips together and sighed as she let her arms hang lax at her sides. “Alright. I understand. I’ll just tell our Sovereigna I was unable to deliver her message. I hope she won’t be too disappointed in me.”

Yaghn and Var don shared a look as Mirilla turned away from them, her shoulders slumped and she started to walk slowly away.

“I will ask,” Yaghn said. “But if she refuses, you must leave at once.”

“I give my word,” Mirilla promised, turning back to them happily.

“Come. Stand just here behind me, as I’ll ask if she’ll see you,” Yaghn said.

Mirilla smiled and hurried to stand just behind him, exactly where he’d indicated, as she tried to see around him to get a glimpse at whomever might open the massive front doors to the suite when he knocked.

Yaghn knocked, then took a step back to stand at attention to wait for the door to be answered.

It took a few moments, but eventually the door opened to reveal a familiar male, human, with dark hair, a strong jaw and high cheekbones. His skin was a dark tan, and his eyes dark and mysterious, just like the Sirena’s. He was tall and muscular but not overly so, like all of the Cruestaci males.

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