A few hours later, they gathered in the villa's dining room for what Milan had called a "small feast" but which looked more substantial than that description suggested. The table was laden with dishes—roasted meats, boiled vegetables, a variety of dishes, pastries, and several bottles of excellent wine.
Milan sat at the head of the table, with Jolthar to his right and Cleora to his left. Nora had been seated next to her mother, which put her directly in Milan's line of sight.
Which proved to be a problem.
Every time Nora spoke, Milan's attention would focus on her with an intensity that made him miss conversational cues. His responses would come a beat too late, or he'd lose track of what he'd been saying mid-sentence.
"The paperwork situation in Tekkora really has become unmanageable," Nora was explaining. "We've had such rapid growth that the administrative systems haven't kept pace. I've been working sixteen-hour days just to keep up with the basics."
