Rafael breathed out like a man walking willingly into his own execution. "Fine. Listen carefully because I'm only saying this once."
Three pairs of eyes leaned in. Edward did not lean, but the weight of his attention absolutely shifted toward him.
Rafael cleared his throat. "For the moment… Augustus and I are just getting to know each other. That's all."
Alexandra's mouth opened but he held up a hand.
"I'm not done. It was a good evening, he was… decent, polite, and surprisingly normal for someone from a family that could buy a small country, but that's it. It might work, it might not. We don't know each other well enough to even pretend otherwise."
Irina blinked. "But he asked for a second date, right? He seems like the type."
"I don't know," Rafael admitted. "Maybe. Probably. I think? He said he'd call." His voice dipped into embarrassment. "I gave him my actual number."
Alexandra gasped again, hand to chest like he'd confessed to treason. "Your real number? Rafael, that is commitment."
"It's not commitment," Rafael snapped. "It's communication."
"Same thing," she murmured.
Gabriel, calmer, asked, "And how do you feel about that?"
Rafael stared at his planner for a moment, searching for something to calm him down. "Honestly? I don't know. It was comfortable. Not fireworks, not disasters… just two people having dinner and trying not to be awkward. And after the last few years? I'll take comfortable."
Irina's voice softened. "That sounds nice."
"It was," Rafael admitted reluctantly. "But that's all it was."
Edward finally spoke, tone perfectly smooth. "That is a reasonable approach. Relationships should not be rushed."
Alexandra twisted toward him, scandalized. "Edward, are you, again, on Rafael's side?"
Edward adjusted a cuff. "I am on the side of not creating chaos in His Imperial Highness's office before noon."
Gabriel smiled faintly. "Wise."
Rafael dropped back in his chair, exhausted but lighter. "So there. That's the truth. Nothing dramatic. Nothing scandalous. He's just… someone I'm getting to know."
Alexandra tapped her fingers, considering. "Fine. I accept that, for now. But if he breaks your heart, Rafael, I will personally…"
"No violence," Gabriel warned.
"Diplomatic violence," she corrected.
"No," Gabriel repeated. "Not with Augustus. Well, you can convince Damian to let you."
Rafael's brows furrowed confused. "Wait a second, why would someone ask the emperor to touch Augustus? Sure his father knows the emperor…"
Gabriel chuckled, very amused, and Rafael felt the life draining out of him. Gabriel's chuckle had that quiet, elegant cruelty he deployed only when someone was about to learn something… unpleasant.
Rafael stiffened. "Why are you laughing like that? Gabriel. Gabriel."
Gabriel folded his hands over his abdomen, looking far too entertained for a man in his third trimester. "Rafael… Augustus is not 'someone whose father knows the emperor.'"
Alexandra made a soft, delighted noise, like she'd been waiting for this reveal.
Irina bit her lip to contain a grin.
Even Edward looked… anticipatory.
Rafael sat up straighter. "What does that mean?"
Gabriel tilted his head, the gold embroidery at his collar glinting dangerously in the morning light. "It means he was one of Damian's first supporters."
Silence.
Rafael was out of service when he opened his mouth. "First supporters of what?"
Alexandra threw her hands up. "OF THE EMPIRE, RAFAEL."
Edward, dry as desert air, added, "Ravenstone was among the very few who sided with His Imperial Majesty during the early consolidation. It was… politically bold, financially ruinous, and extremely loyal."
Gabriel nodded. "And Augustus stood by his father through all of it. The Ravenstones practically built half the Empire's logistics network during the reconstruction. Damian trusts them."
Rafael's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. "He… downplayed all of that."
"Of course he did," Gabriel said, utterly entertained at the brilliance of Delphine's matchmaking plan. "He didn't want to scare you."
Alexandra leaned forward, thrilled. "Which means he likes you."
Irina clasped her hands. "He really likes you."
Edward offered a rare, mild sigh. "Enough to strategically conceal his influence, apparently."
Rafael felt his soul melting into the floor. "No. No. No, no, no, no. We had tea. ONLY TEA. I did not sign up to accidentally flirt with imperial infrastructure."
Gabriel laughed quietly. "Too late. You sat through a meal with one of the Empire's most important families and didn't run. Damian would consider that an act of courage."
"I'm going to be sick," Rafael muttered, covering his face.
Alexandra patted his shoulder. "If it helps, Augustus is the normal one in that family."
"That does not help."
Gabriel leaned back, amused and gentle. "Rafael… if Augustus wanted to intimidate you, he could have shown up in a motorcade and a Ravenstone uniform. Instead, he chose 'normal' dinner. That says everything."
Rafael peeked between his fingers. "What does it say?"
Irina smiled softly. "That he wanted you comfortable."
Alexandra nodded like a proud aunt. "And that he wants a second date. Obviously."
Rafael groaned again, but the panic in his chest settled into something warm and terrifying.
Gabriel watched him carefully. "You don't need to decide anything now. Take your time."
Rafael swallowed. "I will. Believe me, I will."
Edward straightened like the conversation had concluded. "Good. Now perhaps we can return to the ambassador's itinerary."
Alexandra leaned toward Rafael and whispered, "Second date."
Irina echoed, "Second date."
Gabriel hid a smile behind his hand.
Rafael dropped his head back onto his desk. "I hate all of you."
But his ears were red again, and for once, Alexandra let him have the last word.
—
Irina stepped deeper into the Shadow wing, with a bright grin, utterly unbothered by the way shadows moved along the walls like living things. Half the palace refused to come down here without a written will. For Irina, this was practically a family reunion.
A door opened at the far end, and Alexander stepped out; he was tall and elegant in his midnight-black uniform, silver threads marking him as Commander of the Arcanist Division. His gaze landed on her and softened instantly, in a way it never did for anyone else.
"Irina," he said, voice lowering just a touch. "You're far from the consort's wing."
She lifted the folder with a flourish. "Special delivery. Gregoris needs documents. I have legs. Perfect system."
Before Alexander could reply, another door opened beside him.
Gregoris emerged like a storm in human form, in a monochrome uniform, boots silent, expression one sharp breath away from who disrupted my schedule and do I need to stab them?
His gaze snapped to Irina, then to the Shadows hovering behind her like a nervous constellation.
"What," he said.
Not a question. A threat shaped like one.
Irina smiled even brighter. "Hi, Commander."
Gregoris narrowed his eyes. "Why are you smiling? What did you break?"
"Nothing!"
"Then who did you break?"
"No one! Greg, relax." The shadows behind Irina saw their lives flash before their eyes, but the girl didn't mind.
"I am relaxed," he deadpanned.
Alexander glanced at Gregoris, then at Irina, amused. "You do look… unusually pleased."
Gregoris groaned. "She's glowing. I hate when she glows. It means I'm about to hear something that stresses me out."
Irina wiggled the folder between her fingers. "It's nothing stressful. I'm just delivering paperwork."
Gregoris stared at her like she'd declared war. "You're smiling while doing it."
Alexander hid his laugh poorly. "He has a point. You only look like that when you're about to tell someone a secret they don't want."
Irina clicked her tongue, clearly unbothered by Gregoris's murderous aura. "First of all, rude. Second of all, correct."
Gregoris dragged a hand down his face. "Here we go."
Irina stepped right into his space, something only three people in the world could do without losing limbs, and held out the folder. "Documents from Gabriel. Very important. Very official. Probably involving state security and your blood pressure."
Gregoris took it automatically, gaze still fixed on her suspiciously bright expression. "And…?" he asked, very slowly.
Irina beamed. "And nothing… oh, except Rafael went on his date yesterday."