"Do you like it?"
That night, back at the hotel, M stepped out of the bathroom and immediately noticed the jeweled dagger resting on the nightstand.
It was a work of art-small, exquisite. The hilt was iid with emeralds, and the solid gold sheath, etched with ancient patterns, glittered with diamonds. It looked less like a weapon and more like a priceless antique. When she drew the de, the cold, curved steel caught the light, gleaming sharply-a crescent moon of silver.
Exactly what she''d wanted.
She hadn''t expected him to find it so quickly.
M gave the dagger an experimental flick, slicing cleanly through the loose front of a man''s robe with barely any effort. The fabric fell away, revealing a chest still misted from a recent shower, muscles taut beneath the skin.
"Haven''t you gotten enough of me tonight, darling?"
Despite nearly getting nicked, Lysander didn''t even flinch. He just grinned,zy and unbothered, as if the threat of a de was an everyday amusement.
M shot him a look, not dignifying his nonsense with a response. She sheathed the dagger and examined it with curiosity. "Where did you get this?"
"It''s an antique," Lysander replied with a chuckle, utterly casual. "You said you needed one urgently. I couldn''t find the right kind on short notice, so I sent Leonard to the local auction house and had him buy this for you. Supposedly, it was once a royal gift between two Western empires."
An antique, after all.
Well-sharp enough, and that''s what mattered.
Now that she had what she wanted, M ignored the man and decided she''d sleep with the dagger by her side tonight.
But just as she turned away, his hand closed around her arm.
"My dear," Lysander pulled her into his arms, lowering his head until his chin rested on her hair,ughter rumbling in his chest. "You get your gift and now you''re just going to ignore me? Aren''t you forgetting something in return?"
So she couldn''t just walk away.
After a pause, she asked coolly, "What do you want?"
"You know."
She felt the vibration of hisughter above her, heard the teasing in his voice. M shut her eyes briefly, then opened them again. Suddenly, she spun around, grabbed the torn edge of his robe, and yanked him down, retaliating with a fierce bite to his lips.
Bastard.
She didn''t hold back-a drop of blood beaded at his mouth.
For a moment, Lysander''s fox-like eyes went wide, pupils trembling in surprise. He barely had time to react before the bedroom door rang with an ill-timed knock.
"Sir."
It was Leonard''s voice from outside.
If Leonard was interrupting at this hour, it had to be urgent. Lysander pressed a hard kiss to M''s lips, lingering until his breath was ragged, then let her go.
"I''ll be back."
"What is it?" Lysander shut the bedroom door behind him, running a hand through his still-damp hair.
"He''s here," Leonard said, handing over an ornate invitation.
The gold-edged card opened to reveal a party invitation. At the bottom, the host''s name stood out in bold: Cossio.
"A real invitation to a knife fight," Lysander scoffed, tossing the card back to
Leonard, his smile mocking. "He wants to y games with me a foreigner, trying
his hand at tricks my ancestors perfected centuries ago. Amusing."
"Will you go?" Leonard asked.
"Why wouldn''t I?" Lysander''s confidence was absolute as he grasped the doorknob, twisting it open with a cocky grin. "Tell Francis to be ready tonight." "The show''s about to begin."
Back in the bedroom.
M was already curled up under the covers, perfectly still, as if asleep. Lysander thought about waking her, tempted to hold her for a while, but his phone vibrated on the nightstand.
Caller ID: Son.
It was a video call from Adrian.
"What''s wrong, buddy?"
He hesitated, then answered, lowering his voice as he walked out onto the balcony and slid the ss door closed behind him.
"Dad, I miss you."
On the screen, Adrian''s face was pale, his mood downcast. "You''ve been gone so
long. I miss you and Mom. Dad, did you find her?"
"I did."
Adrian''s eyes lit up. "Where''s Mom?"
"She''s..." Lysander started to say she was asleep, but stopped, thinking better of it. After a moment, he slid the ss door open again, returned to the bedroom, and sat at the edge of the bed, resting his hand gently on M''s shoulder. on
"M-Adrian wants to see you."
The woman on the bed didn''t stir, didn''t answer. She seemed deeply asleep.
But Adrian, hearing his father''s words, grew excited. His voice rose, calling out, "Mom! Mom, I miss you so much!"
"Mom, I''ve been really goodtely. I haven''t gone anywhere I shouldn''t, I''ve eaten well and done my schoolwork, I''ve listened to Grandpa and Great-grandpa..." "Mom, why won''t you talk to me?"
As the silence dragged on, Adrian''s tone became desperate, his voice catching, rising nearly to a wail.
"Mom! Why are you ignoring me?"
Lysander frowned, about to intervene, when the boy on the screen suddenly burst into tears, sobbing uncontrobly.
"Mom... I won''t run away anymore, I promise. I''ll do whatever you say, I''ll be good... You''re my mom. You can''t just ignore me..."
"I''m sorry, Mom."
Lysander could feel M trembling beneath his hand. Her whole body shook, but
she never turned, never made a sound.
All the while, she remained absolutely silent.
With a quiet sigh, Lysander withdrew
his hand, stood, and walked back onto the balcony, his voice gentle but distant as he told Adrian, "She''s asleep, buddy. When she wakes up, I''ll have her call you."
The ss door closed softly behind him.
"Dad! You''re lying!" Adrian''s voice was sharp with usation.
"Adrian." Lysander''s eyes hardened, his gaze steady on the screen. The boy fell
silent, his expression crumpling in frustration and hurt.
"Dad... does Mom not want me anymore?"
"No. Never Lysander''s tone was low and steady, eyes dark and unwavering. "Adrian, remember this: you''re your mother''s only child. You''re her most precious treasure. She would never, ever leave you."
"But she won''t talk to me..."
"That''s because she''s asleep. When she wakes up, she''lle back to you and
never leave again."
"Really?"
"Really. Dad would never lie to you."