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“Do you?” Lucas asked him, his eyes searching his worriedly. “You take such risks, Cord.”
“It was a calculated risk, but it worked,” Cord said as he turned away again from the heavy scrutiny. “My brother?” he asked, changing the subject.
“Sloane is very well,” Lucas said with a smile. “He has turned your House around, the more unsavoury of your stepfather’ssupportershave gone.”
“Did he murder them?” Cord asked in shock. He listened as Lucas told him what had transpired at House Ivanov. Cord remembered Cornelius’s note. “Loyal and true,” he murmured.
Lucas cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I…” He cleared his throat again.
“You read the note,” Cord said easily. “Did you keep it?”
From his pocket, Lucas took the note out and handed it over. “I thought it was the spell,” he said to him.
“It’s fine, there was nothing secret in the note.” Cord forced a smile. “Just Cornelius playing mind games.”
“I think he meant it,” Lucas objected slightly. “Actually, I think for once, he was completely honest.”
Cord barked out a laugh as his thumb ran over the fold of the paper. “I thought the same thing,” he admitted as he tucked the note away safely. “So, how many days was I out?”
“Only two this time,” Lucas said as he stood. “I would prefer this not be a habit,” he admonished. “We are your advisors; you do not need to do it all yourself.”
“I know,” Cord nodded but didn’t think he should comment any further.
Lucas shook his head slightly. “Well, I have delayed long enough, I best let him in.”
Cord huffed out a laugh as Lucas strode to the bedroom door. When it was opened, Lucas stepped back, allowing the male into the room. Cold blue eyes met his, and Cord winced at the frostiness of the stare.
“Leonid,” he greeted. “You look…well.”
“We have a lot to discuss, Castor,” the Vampyre told him sternly with an unforgiving look. “Alot.”
Tegan was in the training room with Michael and Salem. Tove looked on, reminding her to keep her knee bent, or her elbow up, or to straighten her spine. Michael had waggled his eyebrows at his sister as they trained, but unfortunately for him, Tove had seen him and now he was also receiving sharp pointers and corrections on his frame. As a result, her brother had lost his playful smile, and instead the two siblings were being put through their paces as they sparred with kali sticks.
“No!” Tove struck Michael’s legs as he kicked out at Tegan. “Not a straight leg, you will only get it broken. Keep it flexible, keep it free,” she bit out. “Again.”
Standing back, she watched them both, their heads low with concentration as they moved around the mat.
“He has improved,” Salem said with a slight smile. “He would not have lasted as long against her had he not,” he told Tove.
“They are both better,” she agreed as her eyes narrowed on Tegan’s form. “But for what is coming for her, they need to be exceptional.” Striding forward again, she rounded the mats.
“She is worried,” Marcus said as he stood observing. “Theyareboth better. You have done well.”
Salem snorted even as Tove told Tegan to straighten her spine. “Could you tellherthat?” he said as he turned to Marcus.
Marcus smiled as he watched, and then he was looking to the door as it opened and the Three came into the room. Tegan and Michael stopped, and no one missed the glare Tove sent to the Sisters as they walked into the room.
“We only observe,” Aryna said. “We do not mean to interrupt.”
“But yet you did,” Tove snapped as she crossed her arms.
“Tove Dalgaard, your fear pushes you to recklessness,” Agatha said with a disapproving frown.
“If you saw what we were fighting, you would feel fear too,” Tove growled sullenly.
“We have seen,” Ada reminded her. “We have seen it all. You are right to be afraid, but you cannot let the fear rule you.”
Tove looked away from the frank but honest words.
