Dawn Walker Chapter 269: The Quiet Vow V

Seraphiel’s mouth curved faintly. "That sounds like Stephen."

Sekht’s expression did not change, but his eyes did.

"Yes."

Sekht looked directly at him then. "And were you sent only with a letter?"

Young Master.

Sekht noticed.

Elena folded the letter and laid it on the table beside her. "Stephen requests that we receive the envoy properly and respond by tonight if possible."

"Yes."

Mihos had arrived in the city. Not a rumor. Not pressure through proxies.

And now a letter had co through Stephen, the head butler of the main Dawn House. Not so loose outer servant. Not a wandering noble ssenger. Stephen. Which ant the contact carried real internal legitimacy even if the reasons behind it were still half hidden.

Did Mihos know everything already? "Unlikely."

Was this about business only?

Nothing from that house was ever only one thing.

"No," Sekht said.

Seraphiel almost laughed. It was not a large sound, but it was enough to put Kess through a fresh layer of discomfort.

Kess did not dare acknowledge her directly.

Sekht watched him another second before asking, "Did Mihos send you personally?"

"Why you."

Then, "Because I can observe without provoking where others might fail."

Elena looked to Sekht. "He is useful."

Sekht believed that too. Which made the man more dangerous, not less.

Then Sekht would asure back.

"What exactly does the heir want to discuss."

Sekht almost smiled at that last phrase.

"Yes."

Kess did not react.

Lily’s eyes moved to Sekht then.

He could not afford to in front of Kess. Not like this. Not with too many fresh truths still unhidden under the sa roof. But he knew she was watching him. He could feel the tension in her silence.

Sekht knew enough now to recognize it for what it was.

A god making everyone else in the room rember, very gently, how small their pace could be compared to hers.

Elena unfolded the letter once more and scanned a line. "No."

"Yes."

Sekht turned that over.

Expected from an ancient house.

The question was how sharp he intended to be and how much of that sharpness he had already concealed inside courtesy.

"Elena’s answer ca quickly enough to show she had already been thinking ahead. "I think Stephen sent the letter before Mihos could choose a cruder path."

Sekht frowned faintly. "You think Stephen is trying to soften the arrival."

He considered that.

Possibly both.

"That was kind of him," Seraphiel said.

Seraphiel gave her a luminous expression of complete innocence. It was a lie, naturally.

"When and where does Mihos want to et?"

Tomorrow.