Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Alone against family

Enia’s gaze remained fixed on him. "But?"

"But as we discussed a week ago in private, I am the one who can keep Liam safe." Arik did not bother to soften the position, or hide the power sitting beneath it, or pretend the possessiveness in his voice was anything other than exactly what it was. "I understand it may be jarring for some of you who do not know Liam well enough, but you will have to deal with it."

The room went quiet.

But not with offense like Liam expected.

He expected outrage, or at least a few offended gasps from the Ravenstones, whose family pride had survived worse things than imperial heirs and usually reacted to bluntness by sharpening its teeth.

Instead, several people looked relieved.

Liam stared at them, his crimson eyes filled with familial murder.

Mirelle leaned back against the sofa with a sigh that sounded almost luxurious. "Oh, thank every god still employed!"

Liam turned toward her slowly. "Excuse me?"

"No," Mirelle said, lifting one finger. "Do not begin. We have been waiting years for someone to say that sentence with enough authority to survive you."

"I am standing right here."

"Yes, darling, and if left unsupervised, you would spend the next forty years beneath a university, married to a turbine, eating whatever Mara remembered to throw at you."

"That is insulting."

"That is a family consensus," Henry said.

Liam’s head snapped toward him. "You too?"

Henry looked apologetic, but not enough to be useful. "You once missed your own birthday dinner because a relay valve was ’behaving suspiciously.’"

"It was behaving suspiciously."

"You were twenty-one, a ceremony when you became legally an adult."

"It was still suspicious."

One of the Armstrong cousins nodded solemnly. "He would absolutely have died in the lab."

"I would not have died in the lab," Liam said, his voice higher pitched with each act of audacity from his so-called family.

The elderly aunt who had allegedly come for tea lifted her cup. "Not immediately."

Liam stared at her.

She took a delicate sip and looked away.

Arik’s mouth curved faintly.

Liam turned on him at once. "Do not."

"I said nothing."

"You looked pleased."

"I am learning new information about my fiance."

"You are enjoying."

"That too."

Mirelle looked between them with open satisfaction. "And that is exactly why we are relieved."

Liam’s spine straightened in immediate alarm. "Relieved."

Enia finally set her cup down. The soft click of porcelain against porcelain cut through the room with enough authority that even the cousins stopped whispering.

"Yes," she said. "Relieved."

Liam looked at his mother.

"We were concerned about the speed of the bond," Enia continued. "We still are. But do not mistake concern for disappointment."

Liam opened his mouth.

Closed it.

That was inconvenient.

Enia’s gaze moved briefly to Arik’s sleeve, where his own mark was barely hidden for someone with functional eyes. "The fact that Liam marked you as well changes several things."

Arik’s golden eyes sharpened. "Yes."

Liam’s face warmed with immediate betrayal. "Mother."

"What?" Mirelle asked brightly. "You did."

"I am aware."

"So are we."

"I deeply regret that."

"No, you do not," the Ravenstone cousin who had moved the chair muttered.

Liam pointed at him. "I will have you removed."

"You never remember my name."

"I will learn it for vengeance."

Arik leaned slightly back in his chair, expression composed, but the bond warmed with silent laughter.

Liam tightened his jaw and refused to look at him.

Enia, mercifully or cruelly, continued before the room could enjoy his suffering further.

"Grand Prince Felix has spent years treating Liam’s designation, bloodline, and work as assets waiting to be reclaimed," she said. "The public engagement announcement by King George was crude but useful. It forced Liam’s name into the same sentence as yours before Felix could move first."

Liam’s expression became colder. "George did not do it for my benefit."

"No," Enia agreed. "He did it for his own survival. That does not mean we cannot take the weapon out of his hand and use it properly."

Mirelle smiled.

Liam looked at all of them slowly. "You gathered here to scold me and plan."

"Yes," Mirelle said.

Henry added, "The scolding was emotionally necessary."

"And deserved," Enia said.

"I hate all of you."

"That has also been noted," Henry replied.

Arik’s attention moved from one face to the next with quiet intensity. Liam felt the shift through the bond and realized, too late, that Arik was no longer merely enduring the family interrogation.

He was studying them.

Mapping influence. Reading loyalties. Sorting the Ravenwood restraint from Armstrong’s aggression and Ravenstone’s opportunistic curiosity.

Liam wanted to warn them.

He also wanted to warn Arik. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

He did neither, because every side in the room deserved the other.

Enia turned fully toward Arik. "The engagement is public, but it is not anchored yet."

Arik inclined his head. "The announcement lacks ceremony."

"Worse," Mirelle said. "It lacks ownership."

Liam stared at her. "That is a terrible word."

"It is an accurate word," Mirelle replied. "Right now, the public thinks the engagement came through the Crown, the palace, or worse, Canmore’s influence. George’s stationery made the first move. Felix will try to make the second."

Arik’s golden eyes cooled. "No."

The single word pleased Mirelle so deeply she nearly glowed.

"Exactly," she said. "No."

Enia folded her hands in her lap. "The first social event must come from Ravenwood and Armstrong. Not Canmore."

Henry nodded. "A formal reception would be safer than a gala at first. Smaller guest list, controlled entrances, no open dance floor unless security approves it."

Mirelle waved one elegant hand. "A reception is respectable. A gala is louder."

"Louder is not always better," Henry said.

"It is when one is drowning out Felix."

Liam looked between them. "You are discussing my engagement event while I am still in the room."

"Yes," Mirelle said. "It is efficient."

"I have not agreed to an event."

"You agreed to an imperial prince," the elderly aunt said. "The event is smaller."

Liam opened his mouth.

No words came.

Arik looked very calmly into his tea.

The bond was laughing.

Liam wanted to bite him.