They walked side by side, their steps echoing against the high-vaulted ceiling. For a time, the silence between them was measured, the kind expected between nobles.
Then Lira's lips quirked, and she tilted her head toward him. "So… must I really call you 'Baron Everhart' for the entire visit? It feels dreadfully stuffy."
Adrian glanced at her, his brow lifting with mock solemnity. "You wound me. I was rather enjoying the gravitas of it."
Her laugh slipped free, light and unguarded. "Gravitas, perhaps. But hardly warmth."
"Then what would you prefer?" he asked, amusement touching his tone.
"Adrian," she said simply, her eyes gleaming with a playful challenge. "And if you insist, I'll allow you to call me Lira in return."
"Generous of you," he replied dryly, though his faint smile betrayed him. "Very well—Lira it is."
The heaviness of formality dissolved, replaced by an ease that softened the air between them.
They continued through the corridor, sun spilling in through the arches, until Adrian asked, "Though I must say, I expected more company with you. Why arrive alone?"
Lira lowered her gaze briefly before answering. "Our parents were delayed. They had no choice but to attend the birthday celebration of another count—an obligation that could not be ignored. They should be delayed by a day, so they should be arriving tomorrow."
She hesitated, then added, "As for Mira… I left her behind. She was doing whatever she pleased, as she often does, and I didn't feel like waiting. I… wanted to be here sooner."
Her tone was light, almost casual, yet the firmness in her delivery made clear she would not be pressed further.
Adrian studied her quietly. Still, a flicker of disappointment stirred within him.
Mira had not come. He had hoped this visit would grant him an early chance to close that distance, to fulfill the mission his system had assigned. The reward this time was far too enticing to let slip by.
But Mira was trailing behind. If their carriages had left close together, she would arrive before the day was done. Adrian steadied himself. There would be time.
Unbeknownst to him, Mira's thoughts were not so different from his own. Reclined within her carriage, she gazed idly out the window, the rolling hills passing by, yet her mind circled back again and again to that day.
She remembered vividly the image of him with Rosalyn that she had once stumbled upon. That memory had carved itself into her, stirring a restless hunger.
This visit, she told herself, would not be wasted. She didn't care that her little sister would be engaged to Adrian, she wanted to feel for herself, what Rosalyn felt that day.
As if punctuating the heat of her thoughts, a sudden tickle rushed up her nose.
"Achoo!"
Mira blinked, startled, then sniffed and sat up straighter, rubbing at her nose. Her maid looked over in alarm.
"Are you unwell, milady?"
Mira waved her hand dismissively, lips curving with a wry smile. "No… just a sneeze. Someone must be talking about me."
Her gaze drifted back out the window, her smile lingering, half amused, half predatory.
If only she knew—she was not merely being talked about, but anticipated.
Back in the manor, Adrian and Lira lingered by the threshold of her chamber a moment longer. The air still carried the faint trace of lavender from the freshly prepared linens, blending with the golden light streaming through the drapes.
Adrian broke the quiet first, his tone lighter now than it had been in the corridors. "You must be tired from the road. Food should be being served right now, shall we go head there now?"
Lira's lips curved, though a faint sigh escaped her before she spoke.
"That sounds wonderful, but… before I eat, I think I should bathe. I haven't had a proper one in days. The inns on the way offered little more than a lukewarm basin, and—" she gave a small shrug, her pale-blue gown swaying with the motion, "—I find myself far less forgiving of discomfort than I wish I were."
Her demeanor carried no arrogance, only the honest weariness of a young woman who had been raised with finer standards than the rough stops of travel could provide.
Adrian's faint smile returned. "Understandable. The water here will be warm, the bath prepared quickly. I'll see to it." He inclined his head slightly, a gesture of both courtesy and reassurance.
Lira relaxed, gratitude softening her features. "Thank you, Adrian. Truly."
With that, Adrian took his leave, stepping back into the corridor. Behind him, the door closed gently, sealing Lira in her temporary sanctuary, where already maids hurried to draw her a bath of steaming water infused with fragrant herbs.
Adrian's footsteps carried him down the hall, past the polished stone arches, until he reached the main staircase. The low murmur of voices guided him toward the dining hall, where the Everhart family had gathered.
The long oak table gleamed under the soft glow of chandeliers, the polished surface lined with silver cutlery and goblets awaiting the evening meal.
Isabella sat at her accustomed place near the head, her beauty serene yet commanding, the years doing little to dim the allure that had long ago ensnared more than one noble eye.
Beside her sat Christine, bright-eyed and alert, while servants moved with quiet efficiency, setting dishes and pouring wine.
Adrian entered, his presence drawing a subtle shift in the room as his family looked toward him.
"Big brother!" Christine was the first to speak, her voice warm and eager.
"The Blackthorn entourage has been settled into their rooms. They seemed weary from travel, but the knights and attendants didn't ask for more than food and rest."
Adrian nodded, pleased by her diligence. "Good. They've earned it. Travel on the roads is tiresome even without delays."
He took his seat across from Isabella, meeting her knowing gaze. There was a softness in her eyes, a kind of wordless approval, though it was layered with the quiet depth of their shared intimacy.
"Lira herself is resting now," Adrian continued, his tone shifting slightly into one of calm authority. "She asked for a bath before joining us at table."
Adrian's expression remained composed, though he did not let the moment pass without explanation.
"Count Blackthorn was delayed as they had to attend another count's celebration. So, they should be arriving tomorrow instead. As for Mira…" His pause was deliberate. "Lira told me she left her behind. Mira was occupied with her own whims."
Sophia, sitting calm on the chair, tilted her head. "She must have been very eager to arrive here if she left her sister behind. From the conversation we had last time she was here, she really didn't get along with her big sister."