The Reborn Sovereign of Ruin, Bound by His Star

"What?" Gabriel asked with the most innocent smile Liam had seen in his entire life, and he had Felix in it.

That alone made it more suspicious.

Liam stared at him with renewed caution. "That expression has committed crimes."

Gabriel’s smile widened.

Damian made a faint sound into his tea, not quite a laugh, but close enough that Liam immediately understood Arik had inherited his restraint from the wrong parent and his ability to enjoy other people’s suffering from both.

"I am being welcoming," Gabriel said.

"You are being entertained," Arik corrected.

"That too."

Liam glanced at Arik. "Your mother admits things very easily."

"Only when denying them would be less useful."

Gabriel lifted his cup in approval.

Arik looked profoundly unimpressed.

Liam, despite himself, relaxed by half an inch.

The conversation shifted after that, not by accident, Liam suspected. Damian asked about Wrohan’s weather with the grave composure of a man discussing trade agreements, and Gabriel asked whether Liam preferred the palace suite or found it suffocating, which sounded casual until Liam realized it was a very polite way of asking if he felt trapped.

He answered honestly enough.

"The suite is fine," Liam said. "Too elegant to be practical, but not offensive."

Gabriel’s eyes brightened. "Not offensive? Oh, boy. You will love Arik’s palace here."

Liam understood then that it might be the opposite.

He turned slowly toward Arik.

Arik had gone very still in the particular way men did when family members began speaking about things they had hoped to keep buried until a safer century.

"What," Liam said carefully, "does that mean?"

"It means nothing," Arik said.

Gabriel’s smile widened.

Damian lifted his cup again, and Liam was beginning to understand that this was the imperial version of watching a disaster unfold from a comfortable distance.

"It means," Gabriel said, "that the diplomatic palace was changed to look like a restrained version of his palace here."

Liam turned his head toward Arik very slowly.

Arik looked back at him with the composed expression of a man prepared to survive slander through posture alone.

"Restrained," Liam repeated.

"Yes," Gabriel said, far too happily.

Liam looked around the suite.

The suite with its polished dark wood, pale stone floors, heavy curtains, elegant furniture, discreet security seams, too-perfect lighting, and enough quiet luxury to make a man feel underdressed while wearing a perfectly acceptable shirt.

"This," Liam said, "is restrained."

"For Arik," Gabriel said, his smile getting brighter and brighter.

Arik’s mouth flattened. "Mother."

"What? It is."

"It was designed for diplomatic use."

Gabriel appeared to give that some consideration, which Liam already understood was a bad sign. "Knowing George’s taste and the state of the diplomatic palace before Arik interfered, yes. This is restrained in comparison."

Arik looked as if he regretted every decision that had led to this call.

Gabriel raised a finger. "But to be fair, Arik left the section of his palace that would be assigned to his mate completely cleared. So you can do whatever you want with it, Liam."

Liam’s first thought was lab.

"Not a lab," Arik said, eyes still on the call.

Liam turned his head very slowly.

Arik did not look at him.

"How did you know?" Liam asked.

"I know you."

"That is not an answer. That is surveillance with affection."

Gabriel’s smile became luminous. "A lab?"

"No," Arik said.

Damian set his cup down with the faint, terrible care of a man choosing whether to intervene or watch his son suffer. "A private laboratory in the Crown Prince’s residence would create certain security concerns."

"Thank you," Arik said.

Liam looked at Damian. "Certain concerns can be mitigated with proper containment, restricted access, layered ventilation, and independent power isolation."

Damian paused.

Gabriel’s eyes brightened.

Arik finally turned to Liam. "No."

"I did not say I would do it."

"You began designing it."

"That is not the same thing."

"It is with you."

Liam frowned. "The section is cleared."

"For living space."

"Living is improved by functional space."

"A laboratory is not living space."

"That depends on the person living there."

Gabriel leaned back, looking delighted enough that Liam began to suspect he had been waiting for this exact disaster. "Arik, darling, you left it empty. That does imply a certain freedom."

Arik’s gaze moved to his mother. "Do not help him."

"I am not helping. I am observing."

Damian’s mouth curved by the smallest amount. "Strategically."

Gabriel touched a hand to his chest. "I am wounded."

"No, you are not," Arik said.

Liam, who had spent the last several minutes being studied by two of the most dangerous people in Agaron, found himself relaxing despite his better judgment. This was not an imperial inspection. Or perhaps it was, but it was also something stranger, warmer, and far more unsettling.

It was family. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Terrible family, apparently, but family.

He glanced back at Arik. "How large is this cleared section?"

"No."

"Why are you so stiff about it?" Liam asked.

Gabriel’s smile turned even more radiant. "Yes, Arik. Why so stiff?"

Arik looked at his mother with the patience of a man who had survived him all his life and still found it unfair.

"Liam will have access to the imperial research center and laboratories," Arik said. "There is no need to bring them into his living space."

He pointed at Gabriel through the projection. "And he does not have labs in his wing either. Mother just enjoys making my life harder."

"I enjoy making your life interesting," Gabriel corrected.

Damian lifted his tea. "Gabriel does have a private workroom."

Arik turned toward him.

Damian took a calm sip.

Liam’s interest sharpened. "A private workroom?"

"No," Arik said immediately.

"I did not say anything."

"You were thinking."

Gabriel leaned forward, delighted. "The cleared section does have eastern light. And an inner courtyard."

"Mother."

"And enough distance from the reception wing that small explosions would not disturb guests."

Liam went still.

Arik closed his eyes, regretting that he opened the call.

"Small," Gabriel added innocently.

Liam turned fully toward Arik. "Eastern light, an inner courtyard, and acceptable blast separation."

"It is not blast separation."

"It can become blast separation."

"No."

"I am only discussing functional use of available space."

Gabriel nodded solemnly. "Very reasonable."

Arik looked at Damian. "Help."

Damian’s mouth curved. "You left it empty."