Page 75 of Cruelly Bitten
“And Hazel?” I pressed.
“Hazel has never approved of Lilith’s reign,” Mira replied. “I wouldn’t trust her with this.”
“What about Sofia?”
“She’s an unknown. Similar to Khalid and Naomi.”
I nodded. That matched my understanding of Lilith’s reports. Of course, I would need to meet with all of the other royals to properly evaluate their loyalty. Only Kylan’s, Ryder’s, and Jace’s allegiances were truly known, their ties to the revolutionary mindset absolute.
The lycans would require another evaluation entirely.
Including the one in front of me,I mused, my gaze roaming over Mira’s athletic form. Rather than comment, I pushed awayfrom the door and stepped inside, leaving the entryway open for her to follow.
She’d proved to be somewhat useful, her outlook and approach rivaling mine.Perhaps I’ll test her a bit more,I thought, wandering into my kitchen to pour myself another glass of red wine. It was the brand Ismerelda had claimed I’d like, and, well, she wasn’t wrong. It had a nice smoky undercurrent that I favored.
Although, it was nothing compared to her blood. That was a different flavor entirely.Sweet. Intoxicating. Mine.
Sighing, I brought the glass to my lips and glanced at the alluring blonde on my bed. Her even breathing told me she was still resting, but I sensed a slight change in her heartbeat, one that suggested she was on the edge of stirring.
Good. We can continue where we left off.
But, in the interim, I’d play a game with the lycan standing in my living area.
“Have you prepared a speech for me?” I asked her, referring to the message she’d proposed we disseminate to the alliance.
Mira’s light eyebrows pulled down, her icy eyes narrowing. “No. I only came up to voice my suggestion, my liege. I would never presume to speak on your behalf.”
Hmm.“Indeed,” I murmured. “However, Lilith would.”
The lycan bristled at that. “I’m not Lilith.”
“No, you’re most certainly not Lilith.” I took another sip of my wine, my gaze holding the lycan’s as I considered our current situation and her potential worth.
Thus far, she’d proved herself useful. She’d kept myErositasafe and had delivered her upon my request. Mira had also managed to keep her allegiance a secret for over a hundred years, feeding Lilith worthy details of the growing rebellion while maintaining her position without fail.
And now she stood quietly in my living area, awaiting direction like a good little soldier.
Yet I could see the calculating glint in her icy gaze.
Something about her itched at my instincts, making it difficult to trust her despite all the favorable evidence indicating her unquestionable loyalty.
Hmm.How truthful will she be with me? Will she be direct or play word games?
Only one way to find out…
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CAM
“Giveme your frank assessment of the operation here and what you would do differently.” I voiced the words as a demand, not a request.
Mira didn’t react to my slight change in subject, her expression instead turning thoughtful. “Well, the infrastructure is solid.”
I arched a brow. “Meaning?”
“Meaning it was smart to build all the research tunnels under the catacombs. Not only is this considered neutral territory, but it’s also sacred. No one would think to look here. And, even if they did, it would be difficult to physically break in without anyone noticing.”
“True,” I agreed. It was a strategic location, but also a meaningful one since it was where all the Blessed Ones rested. But we weren’t here to celebrate their eternal sleep. We were here to ensure our eternal existence.
