Chapter 204: Family again. [Win-Win]

Gabriel leaned toward the projection, visibly delighted. "I heard that."

There was a pause.

Then Liam muttered, "Of course you did."

Damian’s expression softened in a way that made Arik’s chest ache. "How are you feeling, Liam?"

"Poisoned, betrayed, and professionally curious."

Gabriel nodded gravely. "A healthy diagnostic range."

Arik walked back into the bedroom, hair damp, shirt open at the throat. Liam stood near the bed in fresh clothes someone had delivered, pale and unsteady, but upright through sheer spite.

Arik moved toward him.

Liam lifted a finger.

Arik stopped.

Gabriel watched this with open fascination. Damian looked like he was trying not to smile.

"Do not look entertained," Arik told them.

"We are not," Damian lied.

Liam glanced at the projection. "He was about to hover."

"He does that," Gabriel said. "Bite him if necessary."

Arik looked at the ceiling.

Liam barely swayed.

Arik caught it anyway, and so did the parents.

Liam cursed softly as all three of them went silent.

"I am fine."

"No," Arik, Damian, and Gabriel said together.

Liam stared.

Then, very slowly, he pointed at the comm. "I dislike family unity."

Gabriel smiled. "You will adapt."

Arik stepped closer, not touching yet. "Sit down, Eshara."

Liam’s eyes narrowed, but the ward on his chest pulsed blue once, traitorous and smug.

"I hate all of you," he muttered, and sat.

Arik sat beside him only after Liam tugged once at his sleeve.

Gabriel saw it.

Arik knew Gabriel saw it.

His mother said nothing.

That was mercy. Temporary, suspicious mercy.

Damian leaned forward. "We will send the plan. All of it."

Liam looked at Arik first.

Only after Arik nodded did he look back at the projection. "And the blueprints?"

"When recovered," Gabriel said. "You will see them with Arik."

Liam’s shoulders eased by a fraction.

Arik felt it through the bond and nearly closed his eyes.

Gabriel’s gaze softened again. "Rest first."

Liam opened his mouth.

Gabriel tilted his head. "That was not a request from a physician. That was advice from someone who has been stupid in hospital beds and regretted it."

Liam paused.

Then said, reluctantly, "Fine."

Damian smiled. "Progress."

Arik reached for Liam’s hand on the bed.

He stopped before touching.

Liam looked down at the offered hand, sighed like a man suffering great injustice, and placed his fingers over Arik’s.

Gabriel leaned back in his chair. "Now that the ugly part is over, we need to talk about the engagement. We spoke with Lady Ravenwood, a lovely woman, and decided that you two should go through with it. Nobody cares about George’s death anyway."

Liam went very still.

Arik’s fingers tightened around his.

Slowly, Liam turned his head toward the comm projection. "I beg your pardon?"

Gabriel’s expression remained serene. "Granted."

"That was not a request for mercy. That was disbelief."

"I know. I granted it anyway."

Damian’s mouth twitched. "Your mother is very decisive."

"My mother?" Liam repeated.

"Lady Enia," Gabriel said, as if Liam might have temporarily forgotten the woman who had raised him, terrified enemies into manners, and was currently capable of destroying half of Wrohan through sheer maternal rage. "She was clear that cancelling the engagement would give Felix, Ray, Cain, and every parasite still crawling through George’s corpse of a court too much satisfaction."

Liam stared at him.

Then at Arik.

Then back at Gabriel.

"My mother said that."

"She was less polite," Gabriel replied. "I liked her immediately."

Arik’s shoulders shifted, the smallest sign of dread.

Liam noticed. "What else did she say?"

Damian coughed once into his hand.

Gabriel smiled.

Liam’s eyes narrowed. "What else did she say?"

"She wants to see you," Gabriel said.

"No."

Arik turned to him. "Liam."

"No." Liam lifted his free hand, palm out. "Absolutely not. I have been poisoned, kidnapped, emotionally dismantled, historically traumatized, and nearly assigned an engagement party as tactical cover. I am not facing my mother today."

Gabriel looked amused. "She anticipated that."

"That is horrifying."

"She said you would attempt to hide behind injury, pride, Arik, medical orders, or a chair."

"I would not hide behind a chair."

Arik glanced at him.

Liam’s glare sharpened. "Do not contribute."

Arik wisely looked away.

Damian leaned forward, gold eyes warm with wicked sympathy. "She also mentioned Henry, Mirelle, the Armstrongs, and the Ravenwoods."

Liam’s face emptied.

For one peaceful second, nothing moved.

Then his fingers dug into Arik’s hand. "The Armstrongs."

"Yes."

"And the Ravenwoods."

"Yes."

"Both families united again?"

Gabriel nodded. "Apparently, when you were taken by Felix and then stayed here overnight after everyone learned that your mate had hidden an imperial secret problem, the families became... involved."

"Concerned," Damian supplied.

"Predatory," Gabriel corrected.

"United," Damian offered.

"Worse," Liam whispered.

Arik looked at him with careful concern. "Eshara?"

Damian and Gabriel both raised a brow at the sweet name, but fortunately neither said anything about it. That if one ignored their barely suppressed grins.

Liam turned very slowly. "I thought I escaped."

"Escaped what?"

"The families."

Arik blinked, confused. "They were very interested in the engagement last time we saw them."

"Yes, but that doesn’t mean I want to see them too soon," Liam said, then let the rest of his body fall back onto the sheets with the despair of a man denied a quiet laboratory and the comforting hum of the Vanguard.

"Lovely. We will let you two talk about it," Gabriel said, and closed the call with the tact of a general retreating from a battle he started.

The projection vanished.

For three peaceful seconds, Liam believed he had survived.

Then Arik’s comm chimed.

He looked at it and went still.

Liam did not open his eyes. "No."

"It is Marin."

"Worse."

Arik read silently. "Your mother is here."

Liam dragged the blanket over his face. "I have died."

"With Henry."

"Buried."

"And Mirelle."

"Desecrated."

Arik’s mouth twitched. "Only them."

"That is not comfort. That is the first wave."

Arik reached for the blanket, but Liam dragged it higher. "Liam, my love, I can send them away until you want to meet them."

"No... Let’s meet them."

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