The sight of Silas and Celeste still seated at the breakfast table made me clench my jaw. Their presence was about as welcome as a persistent rash that refuses to clear up. I had to physically stop myself from rolling my eyes as I took my seat, the scraping of the chair against the polished floor echoing through the room. I had hoped they would be gone already.A maid approached and began serving me food, the tantalizing aromas doing little to distract me from the unwanted company. I glanced around, searching for a familiar face among the staff. "Evie, was it?" I called out to one of the maids I had seen during my stay.The young woman stepped forward, her head bowed respectfully. "Yes, my lady.""Will the duke be joining us for breakfast?" I asked, trying to keep the hopefulness out of my voice."I'm afraid his grace had an urgent matter to attend to early this morning and is still dealing with it," Evie replied apologetically.I nodded my thanks and turned back to my plate, my appetite suddenly dampened by the thought of Mikhail working himself to the bone without so much as a bite to eat. "Has the duke had any breakfast taken to him?" I inquired, unable to quell the concern gnawing at my insides.Evie looked around uncertainly before an attendant stepped forward. "The duke usually gets too focused on his work that he refuses to eat until it is resolved. If he does not come out to breakfast, then he will skip it and eat at lunch."A frown tugged at my lips as I pondered this information. How many times had I done the same, so absorbed in my research that I neglected my own basic needs? The memories of those awful midday crashes, fueled only by copious amounts of coffee, made me cringe inwardly. My gaze drifted to the lavish spread before us, enough to feed a small army. What a waste, I thought; I hope they find a way to repurpose the leftovers."You seem quite worried about the duke," Celeste's saccharine voice cut through my musings like a dull knife. Her feigned sweetness was dialed down a notch, probably because Mikhail wasn't around to witness her performance. "You must be quite close with his grace to worry so much about his eating habits. Tell me, what exactly is the relationship you two have?"I fought the urge to scoff at her blatant attempt to pry. Taking a page from Mikhail's book, I leveled her with a cool stare. "The relationship between the duke and myself is none of your concern."Silas's face reddened with anger. "Such impudence!" he shouted, his voice reverberating off the walls. "How dare you speak to us like that?"This time, I didn't bother hiding my eye roll, which only seemed to fan the flames of their anger. I had dealt with their type before - self-important blowhards who thought the world revolved around them. Silas's imperious tone was as familiar to me as the back of my hand."You will apologize to the Saintess immediately," Silas commanded, his eyes narrowing to icy slits.I glared back at them, my patience wearing thinner than a threadbare cloak. Plastering on a smile that never reached my eyes, I said with mock sweetness, "I am sorry, Saintess Celeste, that you do not know how to mind your own business."The stunned silence that followed was broken only by Silas's sputtering attempts at a reply. I pushed back my chair and rose to my feet, suddenly struck by a thought. Perhaps Mikhail wasn't as busy as he claimed. Maybe, like me, he preferred not to dine with these two insufferable guests. A smirk tugged at my lips as I strode out of the room, leaving Silas and Celeste to stew in their anger.I was halfway down the hallway when I heard the pattern of footsteps behind me. Turning, I saw Kat hurrying to catch up, her eyes wide with surprise. "You have finished your meal quickly, my lady," she remarked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.A wry smile tugged at my lips. "No, Kat. I couldn't eat while in bad company."As if on cue, my stomach let out a traitorous grumble loud enough for Kat to hear. Her brows knit together in concern. "I can grab some food from the kitchen and bring it to your room, my lady, if you are still hungry.""That would be great; please bring it up to my room."Kat nodded and walked off. I turned in the direction of my room, and an idea struck me like a bolt of lightning. Glancing over my shoulder, I was relieved to see that Kat hadn't yet disappeared around the corner."Kat, wait!" I called out, my heart racing with excitement and trepidation."Could you bring the food to the duke's study instead? I'm going to try and persuade him to eat with me."A knowing smile played on Kat's lips as she nodded, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She hurried off towards the kitchens, leaving me to navigate the winding corridors that led to Mikhail's study.As I walked, doubts began to creep in like shadows at dusk. Was I overstepping my bounds by inviting myself to eat in his study? What if he declined my gesture, finding it presumptuous or inappropriate? By the time I reached the imposing wooden doors, my heart was pounding so loudly that I was sure it could be heard through the door.I raised my hand to knock, then hesitated, my fingers hovering inches from the polished surface. Maybe this was a mistake. I could still turn back, catch Kat, and have the food redirected to my chambers. Mikhail would never even know.A sudden cough behind me made me jump out of my skin, my heart leaping into my throat. Whirling around, I found myself face-to-face with Theo, his stoic expression giving nothing away."Good morning, Theo," I managed, my voice sounding strained to my ears."Good morning, Lady Samara," he replied, his tone as unreadable as his face.An awkward silence stretched between us, broken only by the thundering of my pulse. Finally, Theo cleared his throat."Do you have business with the duke?" he inquired, one eyebrow arching ever so slightly."I, um..." I stammered, my mind racing to come up with a plausible excuse. "I came to give the duke a morning greeting as well."Theo studied me for a moment, his green eyes seeming to pierce right through me. Then, to my surprise, a hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth."I am sure his grace will be pleased that you have come," he said, stepping past me to open the door.I trailed behind him, my heart hammering against my ribs as I took in the sight of Mikhail hunched over his desk, his brow furrowed in concentration.At the sound of our entry, Mikhail's head snapped up, the furrow in his brow smoothing out as his gaze locked with mine. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he rose from his seat and approached us."Samara," he greeted warmly, his voice sending a shiver down my spine. "Did you sleep well?""I did, thank you," I replied, returning his smile even as I fidgeted nervously with the hem of my sleeve. An awkward pause stretched between us, and I silently cursed myself for not thinking this through.Mikhail's gaze flickered to the door, a question forming on his lips."Have you had breakfast yet?"Before I could formulate a response, a knock sounded at the door. Theo moved to answer it, and the unmistakable sound of a cart wheeling into the room filled the air.Mikhail's brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't recall requesting breakfast to be brought to my study."I caught sight of Kat's face, her eyes wide with panic. I stepped forward, my heart in my throat as I rushed to explain."I asked Kat to bring it here. I heard you were working through the morning and might skip breakfast, so I thought..." I trailed off, suddenly feeling foolish. "I was worried about you going half the day without eating. But if I've overstepped, I can take the food back to my room.""You were worried about me?"I looked up to find his cheeks flushed, a dazed expression on his face.He turned to Kat, his tone gentle but firm. "Please set up the breakfast. Lady Samara and I will be dining here this morning."As Kat and Theo busied themselves with the preparations, I let out a sigh of relief. My shoulders sagged as the tension drained from my body. Mikhail's hand brushed against mine, the brief contact sending a soft jolt of electricity through me."Thank you, Samara," he murmured, his eyes shining with gratitude and something else I couldn't quite name. "Your concern means more to me than you know."I ducked my head, hoping to hide the blush that heated my cheeks."I just wanted to make sure you were taking care of yourself. I know how easy it is to get lost in work and forget about everything else."As Kat finished setting up our breakfast, the aroma of freshly brewed tea and warm pastries filled the air. Mikhail pulled out a chair for me, his silver eyes meeting mine with a gentle intensity that made my breath catch. As we took our seats, he leaned forward, his brow furrowed with concern."Samara, I must apologize for leaving you alone with Silas and Celeste this morning," he began, his voice low and earnest. "I had assumed you would sleep in and have breakfast brought to your room."I waved off his apology with a smile."I don't blame you for wanting to avoid dining with them again." I paused, a thought striking me. "Actually, I'm a bit surprised they're still here. I figured they would have left at first light given last night's..." I trailed off, realizing I was saying too much.Mikhail's expression mirrored my own, a mixture of surprise and delight."Given last night's what?" he asked with a smirk.I panicked, trying to find the best way to word the awkward and tense dinner conversation."Hospitality." I finally managed to say.I watched as his smirk turned into a full smile."I imagine it was not my hospitality that has caused them to linger within the castle."Curiosity piqued, I leaned in. "Oh? And what might that reason be?"His gaze turned severe, and his answer sent a jolt through me."You.""Me?" I echoed, disbelief coloring my tone. "But why? You said their visit was to threaten you with marriage. What does that have to do with me?"Mikhail took a sip of his tea, his eyes never leaving mine. When he spoke, his voice held a note of incredulity."Do you truly not know why they would be interested in you?"I wracked my brain, trying to make sense of it all. Suddenly, realization dawned, and I felt my eyes widen."They think I'm a candidate?" I yelled, the words feeling absurd even as I said them. "But that's ridiculous!"Mikhail's eyebrows shot up in surprise."Why is it so ridiculous, Samara?""Well, because..." I trailed off, struggling to find the right words. I hadn't done anything to indicate that I was a potential bride candidate. Though being engaged to Mikhail wouldn't be so bad, I allowed myself to consider it. There was no denying that Mikhail was incredibly handsome, likely the most attractive man I had ever encountered.Unable to articulate my thoughts, I deflected with a question of my own. "Why would they think I'm a bridal candidate?"Mikhail set his teacup down, his gaze direct and unwavering."You are a young, beautiful woman staying indefinitely in my castle at a time when most noblemen are expected to marry."I mulled over his words. From an outsider's perspective, it made sense. They had no reason to believe there wasn't something romantic between Mikhail and me.Mikhail must have noticed the worry on my face, for he asked, "Does it bother you so much, knowing that is how they see you?"I considered his question, searching my heart for the answer. To my surprise, it didn't trouble me as much as I might have expected.Meeting Mikhail's gaze, I felt a smile tug at my lips."No, it doesn't bother me," I admitted. "In fact, it might actually help you. If they believe you already have a candidate, they'll likely back off."His eyes sparkled curiously, a touch of amusement dancing in their depths."You believe so, Samara? I believe they will push harder. Silas is not a man to back off when he fixes his sights on something."He paused for a moment, silver-gray eyes reflecting deep thought."But what could they want from making the Saintess into the new Duchess? If it's power and money they're after, there are plenty of other noble families they could pursue or even royals like the Crown Prince." Mikhail mumbled to himself, momentarily lost in his own thoughts.I shrugged, leaning back in my chair as I met his gaze. "Maybe they're not after material wealth," I suggested, toying with the edge of my napkin. "Power doesn't always come in the form of gold and jewels."I thought back to all the scientists I had worked with. Many chased money and accolades, while others were interested in something other than the immediate tangible rewards. They pursued experiments and projects that would grow their influence and establish their genius and legacy. Sometimes, I even counted my father in the latter group. "You must possess something far greater than what the royal family could ever give them." I mused out loud.