Page 106 of A Crown Without Mercy

“Our blood is untainted, and your body needed time to adjust,” Riordan explained. He then set the box on the end of the bed; Sylvana crawled over and ran her hand across the top. “What is this?”

“A gift, for my mate,” Riordan replied.

“Your mate,” she repeated. “Yes,our mate.” He winked.

She looked at him with bright eyes and a radiant smile. “Thank you.” She opened the box and two grayish-blue hands were laying on a plush, velvet pad. “What the hell?” She slammed the lid shut and jumped back.

“Are you displeased?” Riordan asked.

“Well, no—I mean, I appreciate the gesture, but my god Riordan, what am I to do with them?”

“Whatever you like.” He cocked his head and stared at her.

“Are those—Elsa’s hands?”

“Yes.”

Nicolai and Kieran let out a belly laugh. “I don’t think she has the stomach for yourgifts, brother.” Nicolai then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her between himself and Kieran.

“I didn’t realize you were serious last night?”

“Did I stutter?” Riordan asked.

“No, you didn’t, but don’t you think it was a little extreme?”

“No,” he replied unemotionally.

“Sylvana, when Riordan speaks, they listen for a reason,” Nicolai interjected.

“I appreciate the sentiment I really do, but if you wanted to give me a gift, a puppy would have sufficed.” She held up her hand. “Let me clarify. I mean one who is still breathing. I would have also been happy with a flower.”

Riordan pulled her face to his and slipped his tongue into her mouth. He then shook his head and scoffed under his breath and mumbled to himself.A puppy or a flower, that’s absurd.

Nicolai grabbed Sylvana and tossed her onto her back. “I have a gift of the flesh you will actually appreciate,” he teased.

She placed her palms on his chest and playfully, pushed back. “Nicolai, stop.” She chuckled.

“Sylvana, you may go back to bed, but Nicolai and Kieran are coming with me.”

Nicolai dropped his head onto her chest and twirled his tongue over her soft bud. “Apparently, we are going to have to finish this later.”

Kieran rolled over and a strange sensation hit him. He subtly rolled from side to side and there was no pain. “What the fuck?”

The three of them looked at Kieran and glanced at each other. “Brother, what’s wrong?” Riordan asked.

He jumped fron the bed, walked across the chamber, and looked at his back in the mirror. “The scar, it’s changed and it doesn’t hurt at all.”

“What?” Nicolai asked as he walked to him.

“There is no pain at all,” Kieran reiterated.

The brothers looked at Sylvana and stared at her.

“What?” she asked.

“Your blood. It must have healed my wound?” Kieran questioned.

“How is that possible?” Sylvana asked.

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