Mira’s amber eyes t his gaze without a hint of embarrassnt or regret as Grim held her at arm’s length, his hands firm on her shoulders. A slight smile played at the corners of her now slightly smudged crimson lips, as if she had accomplished exactly what she’d intended.
"What do you think you’re doing?" Grim demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
"Testing your reflexes," she replied, the smile never leaving her face. "They’re still slower than I expected. The Ghost Veil hasn’t fully dissipated yet."
He released her abruptly, taking another step back to restore more distance between them. "Is this so kind of ga to you?"
"Life is a ga, Grim," Mira said, smoothing her dress out. "The sooner you rember that, the better you’ll play it." Her eyes flicked to the blood markings on his face.
[Be cautious,] the voice finally chid in. [Her intentions are unclear, but she’s far from harmless.]
"Your father sent Feng to poison ," Grim said flatly. "And now you’re here. Forgive if I find the timing suspicious."
Mira’s expression turned serious. "My father and I rarely agree on strategy. He sees you as a threat to be eliminated. I see you as..." She paused, considering her words. "An opportunity."
"An opportunity for what?"
"Change," she said simply. "The noble houses have stagnated. The sa families playing the sa gas for generations. Then you return. The lost Ambrose heir." Her eyes glead with sothing that might have been admiration. "Whatever else happens, you’re going to reshape the landscape. I prefer to be on the advantageous side of such reshaping. Plus I’ve always liked you."
Before Grim could respond, footsteps approached from the corridor. Mira stepped away, her deanor shifting instantly to sothing more formal and distant.
"Consider my assistance today a gesture of goodwill," she said, her voice carrying just enough to be heard by whoever was approaching. "House Luminaris has always valued fair competition."
The tournant official who had earlier inford Grim of his match schedule appeared at the entrance to his preparation area. He hesitated, clearly surprised to find Mira Luminaris present.
"Lady Luminaris," he acknowledged with a bow. "I wasn’t aware you were visiting the competitors’ section."
"Just offering congratulations to Lord Van Ambrose on his victory," she replied smoothly. "I was about to take my leave."
The official nodded, though suspicion lingered in his eyes. "Very well. Lord Van Ambrose, the healers are available if you require treatnt for your injuries."
"I’m fine," Grim replied curtly.
With a final bow, the official withdrew.
Mira turned back to Grim, lowering her voice. "We’ll speak again soon. Perhaps sowhere less... public." She moved toward the exit.
"Mira," Grim called after her. When she paused, he asked, "Why the kiss?"
The smile returned to her crimson lips. "Because I wanted to. I told you before, I make my own decisions." She gave him a final glance. "And because so poison requires a more... intimate counterasure."
With that cryptic statent, she departed, leaving the scent of jasmine in her wake.
------------------------------------------------------------------
The Luminaris estate stood in stark contrast to the neglected Ambrose property.
Max Luminaris stood at the window of their family’s study, watching his sister.
"Your sister was absent from our box during the remainder of the tournant," his father’s voice ca from behind him. Julius Luminaris sat at his desk, swirling a glass of amber liquor in hand,
"She must have had her reasons," Max replied without turning.
"Indeed." The word carried a weight of suspicion. "And I’m curious what those reasons might be, especially after the Ambrose boy’s display."
The sound of the study door opening interrupted their conversation.
"You’re late," Julius said coldly.
"I had business to attend to," she replied, helping herself to a glass of water from the sideboard.
"What business takes precedence over family discussions after that Ambrose whelp threatened us publicly?"
Mira took her ti drinking before answering. "I was gathering intelligence. Isn’t that what you taught us? ’Knowledge before action’?"
Max studied his twin carefully. Sothing about her seed different. A certain satisfaction in her bearing.
"And what intelligence did you gather that was worth missing our strategy session?" Julius demanded.
"Grim is stronger than expected," she said, setting down her glass. "The Ghost Veil barely slowed him. His connection to his weapon is extraordinary—almost symbiotic. And he’s ford a third mana heart, though it’s barely filled."
Both n stared at her. "How could you possibly know that?" Max asked quietly.
Mira’s smile widened slightly. "I examined him myself."
Julius’s face darkened with rage. "You approached him? After the blood marking? Have you lost your mind?"
"I assessed a potential adversary," she replied calmly. "Sothing neither of you managed to do effectively."
"And what did this... assessnt reveal?" Max asked before his father could explode further.
"That he’s dangerous, certainly. But also that he’s isolated. Focused entirely on revenge. That makes him predictable." She looked directly at her father. "And manipulable."
Julius studied his daughter with narrowed eyes. "What are you suggesting?"
"That we’ve been approaching this problem incorrectly. Poison and ambush were never going to work against soone like him. But there are other ways to neutralize threats."
Max moved to stand beside his sister, his tactical mind already working through the implications. "You want to get close to him."
"I already have," Mira replied with a satisfied smile. "He doesn’t trust , of course, but he’s intrigued. And he doesn’t realize how much I was able to learn about his cultivation from a simple healing technique."
Julius seed unconvinced. "This is too dangerous. If he discoveres.....
"He won’t," Mira interrupted. "Not from . But he’ll learn plenty about the vulnerabilities in our alliance with Terras and Draykar. Information we can control."
"Sacrificing our allies?" Julius asked skeptically.
"Sacrificing pieces to protect the king," she corrected. "Isn’t that what you taught us about imperial politics, Father?"
Max watched the calculation in his father’s eyes. The plan had rit. Using Mira to feed selective information to Grim could redirect his vengeance toward their less essential allies while giving them ti to prepare. But it also placed Mira in considerable danger.
"And if he decides to mark you with blood next?" Max asked quietly.
Mira’s smile didn’t waver. "Then I’ll have succeeded in becoming important enough to threaten. Besides," she added, running a finger along the rim of her glass, "he’s not what I expected."
"aning?" Julius pressed.
"aning there’s more to him than blind rage," she replied. "There’s calculation beneath the fury. Intelligence behind the violence." A hint of genuine curiosity entered her voice. "I want to understand how he thinks."
Max recognized the tone. It was the sa one she used when presented with a particularly challenging puzzle. Half academic interest, half competitive determination to solve it before anyone else.
"Very well," Julius said finally. "But you’ll report everything. Every word, every observation. And at the first sign that he suspects our true interests, you’ll withdraw."
"Of course, Father," Mira agreed. "I always follow the family strategy."
Max caught the slight emphasis on "always" and suppressed a smile. They both knew better.
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