Page 95 of A Crown Without Mercy

Riordan placed his fingers beneath her chin and gazed into her eyes. “There are others, Sylvana, and we choose you.”

“Others?” she questioned.

“Yes. They are being sought as we speak, and we have entrusted their care to the Guild. We have no desire for another,” Riordan replied.

“I don’t know what to say or what to do?” Sylvana stated.

“You need to make a choice before we leave here,” Riordan stated.

“What choice would that be?”

“We plan on taking you as our mate tonight,” Riordan admitted.

Sylvana cocked her head to the side. “You expect me to mate the three of you—tonight?”

“What Riordan is trying to say is we would like for you to agree to become our mate,” Nicolai interjected.

Sylvana looked at Riordan. “And if I don’t agree?”

“You have said all along you don’t want to be our bedmate, and we have never been deceitful with you regarding our feelings where you are concerned,” Kieran answered.

“You can’t kidnap Mira and Laurent. Tell me about my father and then spring thischoiceon me.”

“We took them in order to uncover the truth for many reasons. Had the Lycans found about Mira first, I can assure you the consequences would have been dire,” Riordan explained.

“Why didn’t you just ask me?”“Would you have told us the truth?” Nicolai asked.

“Well, no—I mean maybe. Hell, I don’t know?”

Riordan ran his hands down her arms. “Sylvana, you are a purebred Ascelin. You deserve to be respected, protected, and loved. We will hold you in the highest of regard and you should not have to live your life hiding in the shadows. Have we given you any reason to think that we would cause you or your family harm?”

“No, you haven’t.”

He cupped her amulet in his hand. “Sângele Nostru, agree to become our mate.”

“What does Sângele Nostru mean?”

Riordan kissed her cheek. “It means our blood.”

“Your blood?”

“Yes. You belong to us,” Riordan replied.

“I don’t belong to anyone, and what about my family, and Laurent? Not to mention Calista must be worried sick.”

“We will make it known your family is under our protection. I will send Laurent back to his manor tonight unscathed, and Mira will remain here.”

Sylvana backed away, walked over to the table, and picked up Riordan’s glass. “I can’t think right now. And I am certainly not worthy of what you are offering me.”

“Look at me and tell me you do not desire us as much as we desire you,” Riordan said.

“I won’t even try to deny it,” she replied. “Who has wronged you so badly you think yourself unworthy?” Nicolai asked.

Sylvana looked out the window, not wanting to make eye contact. “You have witnessed for yourselves the way I am treated. Enatta, the ladies of court, as well as the Helots in the fields. I am deemed no better than a serf by anyone with status—shall I go on?” She finished the drink and set the glass back down, trying to do anything other than look at them.

The brothers glanced at each other and felt terrible seeing her looking so forlorn.“If we have played any role in this—”Nicolai said telepathically.

“We will have an eternity to make it up to her,”Riordan replied.

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