Chapter 67: The Eyes Of Princess Viora

Calyra’s voice was as cold as Viora’s ice magic. "And so will Viora soon. Her curiosity is relentless. She suspects not only that you have a secret child, but that it’s a boy. A boy you’ve kept hidden for years.""And what did you tell her?" Athea asked

"Nothing. But still I think she is still suspicious. She saw something on your desk when she spoke with you the last time." Calyra said.

​Athea went perfectly still. The realization of what Viora saw hit her with the force of a physical blow: Viora, entering her chamber just as the holo-projection of a young, blonde-haired boy flickered on her desk.

Zaeryn’s face from when he was still a kid captured in a still image, had been on display for only a second. She’d shut it down instantly, but Viora’s sharp, perceptive eyes—her eyes, had already taken in the image. Worse, Athea knew her own momentary panic had been the true tell. The way her breath had caught, the way her hand had moved too quickly to dismiss the projection, it was a confession to anyone astute enough to read the signs.

​She had underestimated Viora. In a world saturated with information streams, a single image of an unknown boy should have been meaningless. But her daughter had woven it together with other inconsistencies and arrived at an impossible, terrifying truth.

​"The projection on your desk," Calyra confirmed quietly, her voice laced with a gentle ’I told you so.’ "She noticed your reaction. Your daughter has your instincts, Athea. She reads people as if they were open data-files."

Athea let out a soft, dry chuckle. "You don’t need to tell me that. I see myself in her, sometimes."

"Not really. I would say you two are the complete opposite," Calyra said softly, finally taking a seat across from her sister. "But still. It was a foolish mistake. One that could ruin everything you have ever worked for." Calyra looked at her sibling, her blue eyes like a winter sky."You were looking at his picture because you miss him, don’t you?"

Athea’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, her composure cracked. However instead of answering Calyra she didn’t. Her eyes narrowed, searching her sister’s face. "Can you help me? I need to make sure Viora doesn’t continue with her suspicion and stumble on valuable information."

"Don’t insult me by asking," Calyra replied, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "You’re my sister. Of course I’ll help. But you need to tell me what you want me to do."

"Watch her," Athea said, her tone sharp and commanding again. "She trusts you. Use that. Convince her she’s chasing a mirage—plant a story, distract her, whatever it takes to stop her digging."

Calyra sank onto the bench, her fingers tracing its smooth surface as she considered. "I can do that. Maybe I’ll tell her the holo was just a picture you’d stumbled on on the internet unintentionally. Or I’ll pull her into some courtly distraction. She’s sharp, but she’s still young. She’ll bite if the bait’s good enough." She paused, her gaze locking onto Athea’s. "But you know this can’t last forever, don’t you? Secrets like Zaeryn don’t stay buried."

Athea’s face hardened. "I know. I live with that fear every waking moment."

"Then what’s your plan," Calyra pressed, her voice low and relentless, "when the truth rips through like a plasma storm?"

Athea didn’t hesitate, "I’ll face it when it comes," she said quietly. "But not today. Not until I have no other choice."

Meanwhile,

As the chatter and laughter filled the atrium, Zaeryn stood.

"I need a shower," he announced to everyone, moving with an easy stride toward door.

Marceline, still radiating her majestic allure and warmth, gave him a knowing look. "Don’t go too far, Zae. We still have a lot of time to make up for."

"I’m not going anywhere, Macie," he replied, giving her a reassuring wink as he walked away.

___

With the low hum of family conversation fading behind the door, Zaeryn walked into his room and collapsed onto his bed.

The day was far from over, and yet it was already a chaotic whirlwind of emotional highs and lows, from Ravena being upset with him, to her changing her mind and claiming his lap like a possessive kitten. He still wasn’t sure what Sage had said to her, but whatever it was, it had been brutally effective.

Then there was Marceline. The stunning milf still looked the same and she hadn’t changed at all. She loved to tease him, pushing every boundary with a wicked glint in her eyes. But that was part of her charm, and just thinking about it made him miss her already. The memory of her sitting close to him, his hands on her perfect thighs, her rich, floral smell filling his senses, the taste of her lips... a bold, claiming kiss that left him wanting more.

He smiled, knowing that he didn’t have to crave that from a distance. She was here now, in the same house as him, so there would be plenty more opportunities for... distractions. And he was more than ready for them.

Then there was Kayla who was also here.

He was still trying to figure out if she was perhaps up to something. Why was she here?

According to Marceline and Ravena, she had left her post on the frontlines the moment she heard he was in the Council’s custody, which was a complete contradiction to everything he believed about her. Knowing her, she wasn’t the type to plot; no, she was too proud for that. If she wanted to harm him, she would want him to know, so at least he could relax knowing she was not a threat hiding in the shadows.

A sigh escaped Zaeryn’s lips; he felt drained, having barely slept at all. He got woken up by Aeris way too early and he’d slept late the previous night.

And yet, a new energy thrummed just beneath his skin, a direct result of the hugs, the kisses, the sheer proximity to so much female power. His system strengthened him through bonds—emotional and physical. It was a strange, intoxicating feedback loop; the more he engaged, flirted, and connected, the more vital he felt. The exhaustion was real, but so was the quiet surge of potential humming in his veins.

He let out a long breath, staring at the ceiling. ’Alright, time for a progress report.’ he thought.

’System, show me my stats.’ he commanded.

He willed the familiar, translucent screen to appear in his vision. The system’s report was concise and clear.

[SYSTEM LOG]

[VITAE ABSORPTION DETECTED]