Lucas's grin sharpened, quiet and conspiratorial. "Only if Serathine doesn't declare them part of her new trade routes."
Serathine's crimson‑tipped nails traced the stem of her glass, her smile slow and feline. "I could," she said lightly, "but only if Cressida hasn't already signed them into her budget."
Cressida didn't even blink. She simply sipped her wine, letting the cool jade of her sleeve catch the light, and murmured, "I prefer to let men bring gifts without conditions. It's remarkable what you get when you know how to look."
Dax laughed, genuine and unguarded, the kind of laugh that rolled through his chest and softened his kingly posture for just a breath. "Dangerous women at one end, a calculating duke at the other…" He tilted his head at Lucas, eyes gleaming. "And you, Grand Duchess, somehow holding them all in check?"
