A day passed.

A glorious, blessedly quiet day. Azrael finally felt… free. Free from the immediate threat of being eaten, free from the constant, nerve-shredding tension, free from the suffocating, passive-aggressive company of his teammates.

He had arrived back at the Holloway mansion this morning.

And it was the weekend.

Finally, blissfully, mercifully he could relax.

He lay sprawled on the soft bed in his room, staring up at the ceiling, letting the exhaustion seep out of his bones.

He recalled yesterday's mess – the chaos in the forest, Selyne's terrifying, blood-fueled power surge, the Orc Queen's dying, possessive gaze and his own near-death number… well, he'd honestly lost count. It was becoming a recurring theme.

Just as a comfortable drowsiness began to settle over him, his peace was shattered, the door to his room burst open without warning.

BAM!

He jolted upright, pure panic flaring in his chest.

Ilythia swept into the room, her expression a thundercloud of regal displeasure. Right behind her, practically glued to her heels like a nervous and fluffy shadow was Selyne.

Before Ilythia could utter a doubtlessly word, Azrael yelled, adrenaline still pumping furiously through his veins. "Hey! Come on, at least knock before you barge in! What if I was… indecent?"

Ilythia raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, looking utterly unfazed and profoundly unimpressed. "I don't need to knock in my own house." Tssk. The sound was like ice cracking.

Azrael slumped back against the pillows, letting out a frustrated sigh that ruffled his bangs. So much for peace.

"I heard everything from Selyne," Ilythia said, her voice cool and level, cutting straight through his momentary relief. "You, once again, put her life in danger."

He sat up again, indignant, disbelief warring with weary resignation. "What the hell? Are you serious? I put her in danger? Did she conveniently forget the part where she went supernova and nearly wiped out half the forest?"

"Because of you, her rage consumed her," Ilythia stated, her tone sharpening, dismissing his point entirely. "She, without thinking of the consequences, dived into that forest of death after you were captured. And worse she used her full potential, tapping into power she cannot yet control. I can see her Aether channels are still unstable still dangerously reforming."

Selyne shifted uncomfortably behind her mother, her face turning a bright, embarrassing shade of red.

Azrael caught the look. Something was definitely off. Selyne looked embarrassed, she wasnt helping him in this.

"You're… joking, right?" he asked slowly, suspicion dawning. "Messing with me again? Trying to have your little amusement?"

He saw a tiny smile flicker across Selyne's face before she quickly looked down at her shoes. He knew it now. This was some kind of setup, a coordinated trap.

Ilythia's expression remained stern, but her eyes held a flicker of something else. "You caught on quicker this time, I suppose." She conceded the point slightly. "Selyne did explain the... full context." Her gaze sharpened again. "Regardless of why she lost control, your capture was the catalyst. Your recklessness forced her hand." She paused, her crimson eyes studying him intently, assessing his condition. "However, Selyne also informed me of your… adequate intervention after the fact. Carrying her back. Staying by her side when she awoke again."

She walked further into the room, her expression softening almost imperceptibly, though her voice remained formal and clipped. "Therefore, I have decided to reward you"

'Reward?' Azrael thought suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.

"Tonight," Ilythia announced, dropping the information like a precisely aimed bomb, "is Juliana sen Selros's birthday celebration, Silas and Aria's mother. It is one of the most significant social events in Elarion. Their family rivals the monarchy itself in wealth and influence. Her husband adores her, a rare thing in these circles, and the party is always… extravagant. Money flows like water and appearances are everything."

She finally got to the point, her gaze sharp. "Selyne and I will be attending, representing our house. You will accompany us."

Azrael stared at her, utterly dumbfounded. "Wait, that's the reward? Going to a stuffy, political party full of people who probably would stare at me like, 'Loser, what's he doing here?' That sounds less like an reward and more like… humiliation. A joker for nobles." He glanced at Selyne's suddenly eager, sparkling face. "This was your doing, wasn't it? You probably told her to make me go."

"Selyne didn't say anything, this is my decision," Ilythia said smoothly, deftly sidestepping the accusation. Consider it a.... reward."

"Reward? For protecting her?" Azrael muttered. He remembered Ilythia's earlier words, burned into his memory. If anything happens to her, you will be dead. "Wait. That sounds less like reward and more like… extending my sentence into social torture under guard."

"Task? Protect me?" Selyne asked, confused. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing to worry about," Ilythia said dismissively, waving a hand. "I just told him to keep an eye on you, ensure no unwanted pests bother you at the your first mission. Isn't that right, Azrael?"

"Yes, I think you added more terms to that 'protection' duty too," Azrael shot back, unable to resist. He met her gaze steadily, refusing to be intimidated.

Ilythia glared at him, her eyes turning deadly cold, a silent promise of future retribution. He didn't back down, holding her stare, a small, reckless part of him enjoying the challenge.

Selyne suddenly stepped forward, sensing the rising tension. "Mother, I'm not a kid anymore! I don't need a babysitter following me around everywhere!"

Azrael smirked, seizing the opportunity. "Yes, she's right. How can a kid brutally slaughter almost an entire village of orcs mostly by herself? ."

Selyne beamed at his apparent support, puffing out her chest slightly, then processed his actual words. "Yes, Mom, he's right— wait! Did you just call me a brute?!" She spun around and glared furiously at him.

Now two pairs of furious crimson eyes were locked onto him. He felt like a mouse trapped between two very angry, very powerful cats.

He sighed dramatically, raising his hands in surrender. "Fine. Whatever. But I reject this reward. Why would I bother going to some stupid function? I'd rather enjoy my holiday. My first real day off since arriving in this hellhole. Don't I deserve at least that much?"

"Come on, Azrael!" Selyne pleaded, her anger forgotten in the face of potential social excitement. "It'll be fun! Aria and Silas will be there! And probably lots of other leaders and top-ranking people! Think of the connections!"

"Not interested," he said flatly. Connections meant complications. Complications meant trouble. Trouble meant death flags.

Ilythia played her trump card, her voice casual, almost bored. "I heard you were in need of Aether Stones," she said, examining her perfectly manicured nails. "We happen to have quite a few in our vault. Mid-grade, even a few high-grade, I believe."

Azrael froze. His resolve crumbled instantly into dust. 'Damn it. She knows my weakness. She knows exactly how to manipulate me.' He cleared his throat he wanted to go for the aether stones now so he prepared a lie for before. "I mean… I want to go, obviously, who wouldn't? But… you know… I rejected it because I don't have suitable clothes." He put on his most pathetic, hesitant expression. "And how can I possibly show up at a function like that? All my clothes are… inadequate. Simple. I don't have anything suitable. I'll be treated like an outcast. A laughingstock."

He made it up on the spot. He had dozens of ridiculously expensive formal outfits packed away in his closet, courtesy of the Ashveil family tailor. But he knew she was giving him an order disguised as an invitation, a duty wrapped in silken paper. She was ready to trade precious Aether Stones just to ensure he accompanied Selyne. He might as well make her pay a decent price.

Selyne's eyes lit up, seeing an opportunity for her favorite activity. "No problem! Mom, can Azrael and I go shopping this evening? Please? He needs something absolutely stunning!" She put on her most innocent, wide-eyed face, blinking her eyes rapidly like a startled fawn. She had perfected the art of getting what she wanted from her mother.

Ilythia hesitated for only a second, calculating the cost versus the benefit. "Fine."

"Yeah!" Selyne cheered, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Don't worry, Azrael! My choice in clothes is the best! You know my mom always likes what I choose for her. I have impeccable taste!"

He deadpanned, staring at her brightly colored, slightly mismatched socks. "She's a woman. I'm a man. Have you ever actually bought clothes for a man before?"

She made a face, blinking innocently again, clearly having absolutely no idea what the difference might be.

Azrael sighed, rubbing his temples. The combination of her boundless stupidity and infectious enthusiasm was physically exhausting.

"I will go with you as well," Ilythia stated, her voice leaving absolutely no room for argument.

Azrael knew immediately. 'It wasn't about my shopping or her expert guidance. She just took the perfect opportunity to join. Now she'll do her best to make sure Selyne and I don't get any closer, probably assign us separate changing rooms on opposite ends of the mall.'

He shrugged internally. 'I don't care about that. It might actually be good if she separates me from the trouble maker. And considering the track record of our deadly duo of chaos, we'll probably need her supervision to avoid accidentally declaring war on a shopkeeper or something.'

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