Page 128 of The Silent
“Scribe houses have been attacked,” Kostas said. “The house in Istanbul was attacked only a fewyearsago.”
“And they have been defended,” Leo growled. “There are seven highly trained scribes and singers in the Istanbulhouseand—”
“Has Kyra agreed to this?” Kostas asked. “Or did you assume her wishes, scribe? Does shewantto live in a hot, busy city likeIstanbul?”
Leo shut his mouth and breathed deeply while Kyra reassured her brother that Leo was not taking over her life. Reassured him that she was happy. Reassured him that she’d been fed that morning, she had clean clothes, and no one was coercing her into the presentphonecall.
He wondered if dealing with Kostas was going to become his new least-favorite pastime. The idea of requesting some kind of permission to take Kyra as his mate grated on him, but Leo recognized how close Kyra and her brother were. They had literally been tied sincebirth.
“Of course you’ll be welcome,” Kyra said. “You’re my family, Kostas. That does notchange.”
So there’d be regular visits from his interrogator.Wonderful.
“And when will you be home?” Kostas said. “What will happen to our sisters here? You wouldabandonthem?”
Leo’s lip curled when he saw Kyra’s face fall. He reached over and squeezedherhand.
“Kostas, Kyra has told me everything she’s done for her sisters.” Leo didn’t try to keep the sharpness from his voice. “She’s also told me that she’s trained them as much as she’s capable of. She is not her sisters’ keeper. She’s allowed to have her own life and find her own happiness. As a brother who clearly loves her, I would think you’d want thatforher.”
There was a long pause on the other end oftheline.
“Take me off speakerphone,”Kostassaid.
Kyra pushed a button and put the phone to her ear before Leo could object. The conversation that followed was in a language Leo didn’t speak, but he immediately made a mental note to learn it. Kyra’s voice was soft but not pleading. After a few moments, she hung up thephone.
She didn’t speak for alongtime.
Leo rubbed her back and prayed to heaven that she wasn’t second-guessing her decision to take him as a mate. It would be a transition for both of them, but Leo was convinced that leaving her brother’s house was best for Kyra. He was equally convinced, especially after this trip to Thailand and Myanmar, that she needed herindependence.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,”hesaid.
“I don’t like making himangry.”
“He’s angrywithyou?”
“I don’t know.” She closed her eyes and leaned back. The way she curled into Leo’s side reassured him. “He’s angry… at life, I think. At the fact that I can’t learn more without leaving home. At his inability to give me everythingIneed.”
“He’s protected you for two hundred years. With your power maturing and the knowledge you’ve gained both here and at home—the knowledge Ava can teach you—you can be more independent. Maybe this is what Kostasneedstoo.”
“He won’t see it that way. Not for awhile.”
Kyra’s phone rang again, but this time when she picked it up, she smiled. “It’s Sirius.” She pressed the button to answer and put the phone on speaker. “That didn’ttakelong.”
“Isittrue?”
Leo smiled at the clear pleasure in Sirius’svoice.
Kyra smiled at Leo. “Leo is here. You’re on speaker. And iswhattrue?”
“‘That damn scribe’ was in Thailand?” he asked with a laugh. “I can’tbelieveit!”
“Kostas was quick to spread the news,” Leo said. “Hello,Sirius.”
“Leo, do you love my sister?” Siriusasked.
He pulled her closer. “With everythinginme.”
“Good,” the Grigori said. “She deservesthemoon.”
