"Why do you always fight with Kate?" Alie scowled at Gabriel. She gently patted Noah’s back before carefully lowering him into the cradle. Rocking it, she continued, "She is the youngest of all four siblings, you know."
"Well, she needs such a treatnt for her awakening," Gabriel said boastfully, crossing his arms.
"What?" Alie chuckled, glancing up at his serious expression.
"She just irritates with the sa unending questions. I am least interested in her affairs. She can pursue whoever she wants," Gabriel stated, his voice dismissive, clearly indicating his total lack of concern for Katelyn’s choices or well-being.
"But it’s about Sage," Alie countered. "A man who used to be with several won. Sleeping with one and then another. Katelyn must be wary of that reputation. Do you think won don’t tell each other about such things?" Alie asked, walking toward the bed. She eased herself onto the mattress, and Gabriel followed, sitting beside her.
"I know that," Gabriel muttered, his focus already drifting. "But Kate is a grown-up. I can’t guide her through everything. And I’ve told you nurous tis that she loves to bla others." His hand moved to hers, and he began tracing his fingers over her wedding band, a physical sign of his shift in attention. "More importantly, I’ve found out about an ancient encyclopedia. I hope I can find information regarding Aurevalis in it."
"Wow! You did!" Alie pronounced, her concern for Katelyn instantly forgotten, replaced by excitent. "Where is it? Let’s read it together!"
"Well, we can. I’ll bring it here," Gabriel said, standing up. He left the room, returning after a while with the heavy encyclopaedia clutched in his hands. He shut the door behind him and carefully placed the massive to on a table positioned close to the window.
"It looks too ancient," Alie observed, running her hand over its cracked, thick binding. "And it’s incredibly heavy."
"It is," Gabriel agreed, already opening the cover. "It’s going to be a heavy read. It’s dense, handwritten, and written in archaic language. It may take us a few days just to navigate it and actually find anything conclusive about Aurevalis."
"That’s fine," Alie told him. "We will do it together."
"Yes," Gabriel hung his arm over her shoulder, drawing her close to him. "Tomorrow is a special day for Noah. He will get the blessings of everyone."
"Yes. But I do fear one thing," Alie stated. "What if Ophelia tries to enter the palace?"
"The security is tight. Nothing will happen. I’ve been careful about everything. I’ll again check the security arrangent myself in the early morning," Gabriel assured her.
~~~
Dominick t Edward Vittileo just outside the palace in a cafe to discuss the report Vittileo had presented regarding the beta hunters. Dominick had absolutely no intention of talking to him, but the nature of the work made the eting unavoidable.
Edward, however, approached the eting. He pulled out a chair and sat down, offering a respectful nod. "Your Highness, I am glad you gave a chance to have a conversation," he said.
Dominick’s expression remained cold. "I’m not here to talk about your daughter, Mr. Vittileo," he clarified, ensuring the conversation remained strictly professional. Then, moving the file to the top of the table, he opened it.
"Why didn’t you ever report about the betas’ deaths in the council, Mr. Vittileo? In the past, I let that small detail slip from my mind. You knew such reports had co, but you never acted on them. May I know why?" Dominick demanded a genuine answer.
"Your Highness, I did explain this in the past," Edward reasoned smoothly, though his eyes held a flicker of discomfort. "The deaths were insignificant because they were not well known to anyone. They were not priorities for the council’s agenda."
"What about this?" Dominick pulled out a crumpled envelope from the inner pocket of his overcoat.
"I got this ssage a few days ago, addressed to personally. Because I was busy solving my personal affairs, I didn’t check it imdiately. However, I did today," Dominick stated, pushing the torn envelope across the table toward Edward.
Edward furrowed his brows together, glancing at the plain, suspicious paper. "What does it contain, Your Highness?"
"You should see for yourself," Dominick stated, leaning back, watching the man intently. The silence that followed was heavy with anticipation, leaving Edward no choice but to open the docunt.
Edward hesitated only briefly before pulling the contents out of the torn envelope and unfolding the ssage. As he read the damning lines, the color drained from his face.
"Your Highness, I never did it," Edward said, his voice surprisingly firm and convincing. He looked Dominick straight in the eye. "Soone is clearly trying to fra . Why would I help the beta hunters with their funding?" he muttered, the question aid more at himself than at the Alpha.
"That is exactly what I have been thinking, Mr. Vittileo. Why would you operate such a group?" Dominick mused. "Then, I ca to a conclusion that makes a terrifying kind of sense. Your daughter had, and perhaps still harbors, the ambitious dream of becoming the next Luna Queen. When she can harbor such thoughts, then you, as her father and the most senior council mber, can certainly have the sa feelings. Correct if I am wrong."
"Your Highness, you are mistaking ," Edward pleaded, his voice taking on a tone of desperate sincerity. "This unknown docunt only shows my na with absolutely no evidence to back it up. I swear I never provided any funding to any such group. I am loyal to the Alpha King and the royal family. I never had any evil intentions in my mind."
"I don’t believe you," Dominick stated. "I will be presenting this crucial evidence to my father soon. If you still want so rcy in your punishnt, you can tell the truth now."
Dominick paused, allowing the weight of the silence and the unspoken threat to settle. Then, he rose to his feet, signaling the end of the eting.
"Your Highness, I have not done this. Juniper’s ambitions don’t an I carry the sa thoughts as her. Please trust ," Edward insisted, maintaining his firm denial of any involvent with the beta hunters, even as Dominick turned to leave.
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