Page 20 of A Crown Without Mercy

“Ew, no! They are so gross.” Mira laughed. “I have something else.” She closed her eyes, cupped her hand together and when she opened them, there was a little bat hovering above her palm.

“Wow! How do you do it?” Laurent reached out and stroked its little back. “It feels like the leather on my stallion’s reins?”

“You ask me every time,” she said, sounding giddy. “I just do it. I don’t know how.”

“You’re incredible, Mira. One day we will be mated and maybe you can teach me?”

“I will try. But I don’t think you can?”

After, a short time and a few more creatures, Mira got bored. “Let’s do something else.”

“Let’s go inside. We can play a game or something,” Laurent suggested.

Enatta was sitting in the parlor when Mira walked in with Laurent. “Hello, Mira.”

Mira gave her a slight courtesy, and then politely cupped her hands in front of her. “Good morning, milady.”

“What brings you here so early?”

“Calista said I could come over. They are working.”

“Your sisters are going to work themselves into rags.”

“Not I,” Mira stated proudly as she lifted her chin.

Enatta grinned, took a sip of her dark cherry wine and stared at Mira.She looks more and

more like her mother and certainly has her attitude. She is a beautiful, petite little thing with high cheekbones and striking features for a bairn so young.Enatta glanced over the soft waves of hair tumbling over her shoulders and peered into her deep, umber-brown eyes.

After briefly admiring Mira, Enatta spoke. “Would you like to join Laurent for an afternoon drink, dear child?”

“Yes, milady. I don’t like our feeders. They taste dirty.”

Enatta laughed aloud.The look of disgust on her face says more than her blatant honesty.“Laurent, take Mira to the gardens.”

“Yes, Mother.” He nodded at Mira and walked her out.

Laurent nudged her shoulder. “I’ll make sure you have a proper feeder.”

Mira smiled from ear to ear. “Thank you.”

“What did you find out?” Riordan asked.

“Her father has yet to return. The fields are unattended, and I didn’t notice any servants. I find it odd for such a large manor,” Nicolai replied.

Riordan leaned back in his chair and thought momentarily. “There are two reasons one would be short on servants and/or field hands—either they don’t have the means, or they don’t want prying eyes.”

“I assume it’s the latter. They certainly have the means,” Kieran stated.

Nicolai took a drink and tilted his cup towards Riordan. “Their youngest sister, Mira, has been spending a lot of time with the Marques son, Laurent. She headed there again this morning.”

Riordan raised an eyebrow, curious what Enatta was up to. “Enatta never invites guests without reason. She’s Nosferatu scant as far as I’m concerned. She is always scurrying around, looking to claw her way up.”

“Enatta won’t allow her son to mate anyone not of pure blood. Why would she allow Mira to spend so much time with him?” Kieran questioned.

Riordan rested his forearm on the arm of the chair and spun his cup in circles. “I’m more concerned about the secrets running deep within Kadric Orfaedo.”

“We should find out more about Enatta’s attachment to Mira,” Nicolai suggested.

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