Nikolai ended the meeting with both his grandfathers. He asked for time to decide, as the girls were shopping. He knew what he wanted, but wanted to hear the opinion of his future wives.
'It might help deal with other vampires.'
He stopped the discussion instead of dragging the argument and making his grandfathers disagree. Nikolai left to enjoy tea with his two aunts. It seemed they wanted him to take the title.
"Nikolai, your aunt has this delicious tea from the east, it's sweet and made with the blood of a virgin foxkin."
As they walked toward his room, Aunt Karoline kept offering him a small snacks—a tentative gesture that, despite its initial awkwardness, spoke of her genuine curiosity about his unusual tastes.
Meanwhile, Adela held his hand and, every so often, let her delicate fingers drift through his hair. The gentle brush along his cool scalp brought a simple comfort, as if her touch attempted to convey her emotions.
