“Perfect mount for you, Princess,” added Grant with a wink, riding on the other side of Mina. “Though I daresay your beauty exceeds sweet Asphodel here. Watching you ride the past three days has been a pleasure all its own.”
Mikhail cast a brief but dark look over his shoulder at Grant, then galloped ahead as they closed in toward the estate manor. Mina arched a brow at Grant, trying not to grin at his impropriety. He couldn’t help himself. He seemed to glory in breaking etiquette in the most devilish ways.
“I’m not sure if I should say thank you to such a compliment.”
“No, you should not.” Grant placed the hand not holding the reins over his heart. “I should be thanking you. For I’m the one who has enjoyed the view.”
Friedrich chuckled for the first time since that night Denny almost died and Izzy was taken.
“Best watch yourself, Brother. You’ll rile the captain. I don’t believe he likes you flirting with his lady.”
Mina’s pulse jolted at that. He knew? Not that she felt much like his lady anymore. Since the attack, he’d not been alone with her once. Nor had he given her any assurance that the fragile bond they’d forged just before the attack was still intact. She wondered whether Mikhail regretted saying such words now, whether he felt guilt for being with her that night when he could’ve been on guard. No one could’ve been prepared for what happened, but she felt his deliberate distance keenly.
“Hmph. The captain needs riling if you ask me.” Grant tilted his handsome face toward Mina. Even bruised from the battle, the man could make a nun swoon with those eyes. “Besides, the princess is going to be a queen soon. She may want to hire a personal bodyguard. Or better yet, her personal bleeder.” He waggled his eyebrows at the last.
Friedrich laughed louder. Mina sensed Grant’s bad behavior was partly to entertain and revive his brother from his deep melancholy. She loved the scoundrel for it, then her gaze flicked to Mikhail. He’d slowed his horse’s gait farther ahead, but still she caught the stiffening of his back.
Grant leaned his torso toward her with a hand braced on his thigh and whispered conspiratorially. “Come on, Your Highness. Brenna says I taste awfully good.”
“I swear, one of these days I’m going to beat you senseless,” the duke added casually.
“You can try. But everyone knows I’m the better warrior.”
Mina found her voice finally. “Is that so? Better than the Bloodguard?”
Grant straightened with confidence, not that he ever looked less than confident. “I’m as good as any of them. Ask Friedrich.”
The duke heaved out a sigh and rolled his eyes.
“Even as a human?” asked Mina.
“Well, I don’t have preternatural speed. Hell, when I am a vampire, I’ll be better than your captain.”
Mina glanced toward the man himself. “He’s not my captain,” she said low.
Grant chuckled with a shake of the head. “Oh, yes, he is. Whether the bastard likes it or not.”
Mina made no reply as the lane opened to a circular drive, the gravel finer than on the entry road, leading to a pristine white-stone manor stretching wide and tall. A thick-trunked, gold-leafed elm stood oddly alone to one side, as if the owner couldn’t bear to chop it down when he built the home. Mikhail tethered his horse on a low branch and drew close to the portico as their party made their way to the entrance. His stern expression revealed his temper hadn’t softened at all on their journey. She wondered whether he’d hardened his heart to her as well. She longed to speak with him alone. It would have to wait.
Now, she must meet with Lord Rathbone and hope he’d support her claim.
…
Mikhail watched as Friedrich held his stallion Ramiel’s reins, saying something to Mina while she nodded and stroked her hand down his muzzle. Her slender, pale fingers against the coal-black coat was a pretty sight.
She was always a pretty sight.
“We’ll take the horses to the stables, then encircle the estate,” said Gregoravich at his side.
“Good. Be sure to scout Rathbone’s estate for rogues. Or spies.”
Grant walked up. “Do you believe Rathbone may already be allied to King Dominik?”
“Possibly. But from what we gathered in Izeling, Rathbone wasn’t eager to get into bed with a power-hungry tyrant set on expanding into his territory.”
Gregory grunted. “But he signed a contract with the king, you said.”
Mikhail gave him a wry look. “Contracts can be broken.”
“Aye then. We’ll keep watch out here.” Gregory followed the rest of the Bloodguard toward the stables.
“Where’s Dmitri?” asked Grant, ever watchful.
He wished the bastard would stop watching Mina quite so closely. But he also knew the damn man just enjoyed getting under people’s skin. It had become apparent to him, as well as others, that Mikhail’s protectiveness of Mina extended beyond mere duty.
He actually had a notion to invite Grant to join the Bloodguard when Friedrich transformed him to vampire, which was to happen soon. Friedrich had confided that he’d held out keeping his brother human long enough. Too long. The duke wanted to take care of it before they traveled to Arkadia, leaving Grant behind. But he would have none of it.
“Dmitri’s gone ahead of us.”
“Fine,” Grant heaved a sigh. “Don’t tell me. I’ll set up a perimeter with Gregory. And leave the bowing and scraping to your lot.”
“My lot?”
“You’re a gentleman, Captain.”
“And you’re the son of a duke.” Though Friedrich’s father had never claimed his bastard son, he still bore noble blood.
Grant grinned like the cat who stole the cream. “That doesn’t make me a gentleman.”
“Tell me, what do you know of Izzy’s parents?”
Seeming stumped by the change in conversation, Grant remained pensive a moment. “Actually, we know nothing about them. Brenna said that someone she knew in Korinth found an abandoned child outside the city, so she made arrangements for the child to be brought to her home in the north, where she’s had her ever since.” Grant flicked his gaze from Mina and Friedrich to him. “Why? Do you suspect something?”
“Not exactly. Just rationalizing Queen Morgrid’s motives.”
“You don’t think she was taken to force Friedrich to heel?”
“Not likely. They don’t need him anymore. They’ve built a strong army without his Varis blood to help create it.” Clenching his jaw, he shifted his attention to Grant, knowing the man’s intellect reasoned the way his did. “Why would an all-powerful queen who practiced black magic need an unspoiled innocent child?”
Grant’s thoughtful expression darkened to a murderous scowl. “Blood sacrifice,” he hissed with disgust.
“Aye,” agreed Mikhail, shifting back to Mina and Friedrich as they approached. “Don’t mention this to Friedrich.”