CHAPTER 286: CHAPTER 286: FIRST TO REACH [WIN-WIN BONUS]

The effect was immediate. Mia froze mid-bite, eyes wide. Serathine’s teacup paused halfway to her lips, while Cressida gave a long, pointed glance over the rim of her glass, the kind that said, you’ve just invited bloodsport, boy.

Lucas blinked, then tilted his head, voice smooth but edged with amusement. "Subtlety clearly isn’t your strong suit."

Sirius grinned, unrepentant. "Why should it be? Everyone knows anyway. Seems like meditation was better than my brother."

Lucius exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You are lucky to be the Crown Prince; the engagement fell through because their house was connected to Velloran, and Trevor made sure to destroy those that tried to poison him."

Mia’s jaw dropped. "Wait... poison?"

Sirius waved a hand, casual as though he were discussing the weather. "It was a minor attempt. Hardly worth the fuss."

"Minor?" Lucius’s tone was incredulous, his eyes narrowing. "They tried to poison Trevor at his own wedding; they mistook the target and nearly poisoned Dax, and in the end Christopher intervened, without knowing that the two of them had already uncovered the plot. This," his gaze flicked pointedly toward Mia, "is how Chris fell into Dax’s arms."

Mia blinked once. Twice. Then pressed both palms flat against the table. "You’re telling me... my brother met a king because of a botched assassination attempt at a wedding?"

"At my wedding," Lucas corrected, his tone calm but his eyes flicking pointedly toward Lucius. "So, House Celesta was involved in it. You dodged a bullet, brother."

Lucius’s lips thinned, but there was no denying the faint ripple of relief across his otherwise composed features. "Perhaps. Amira Celesta was... peculiar."

Sirius smirked, delighted. "Peculiar? That’s the kindest word you’ve ever used."

Lucius ignored him, continuing evenly. "Obsessed with meditation rituals, expensive fragrances, and ensuring everyone knew her aura was superior. But she was my duty, and I would have carried it out."

"Duty," Sirius repeated, rolling his eyes. "You’d have chanted mantras and smelled like sandalwood for the rest of your life."

Lucas sipped his tea, lips curving faintly. "And now, thanks to a poisoned wine glass and a very unfortunate miscalculation, you’re spared. You should thank me."

Lucius gave him a long, cool look, though the corner of his mouth threatened the faintest twitch. "If I must thank anyone, it would be Christopher. He was the one who stepped forward."

Mia groaned, leaning back in her chair. "This is insane. A king almost got poisoned, you almost married a walking incense stick, and all of you are sitting here drinking tea like it’s normal."

Sirius laughed, reaching for another pastry. "Welcome to the family."

Mia threw her hands up. "No, seriously, how are you all so calm about this? This is like... like a history book written by lunatics."

"Because it is history," Sirius said cheerfully, biting into his pastry. "We just happen to be the lunatics writing it."

Mia groaned, dragging her palms down her face. "I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Chris actually looks sane compared to the rest of you."

Lucas smirked into his cup. "Don’t tell him that. He’ll make it his new title."

Lucius arched a brow, his gaze sliding to Mia. "You call my almost-wife a walking incense stick, yet you think Christopher is the stable one?"

Mia leaned forward, eyes bright with mischief despite her nerves. "Stable compared to you, sandalwood."

For the first time, Sirius nearly choked on his food, slamming the pastry back onto the plate as he laughed so hard his shoulders shook. "Sandalwood! Oh, I’m never letting that go."

Lucius’s dark gaze sharpened, but instead of the rebuke Mia braced for, he only exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I see this is going to follow me for the rest of my life."

"Absolutely," Sirius said, still grinning like the cat who’d found cream. "Our dear guest just gave me the best weapon I’ve had in years."

Mia blinked. "Guest?"

Lucas leaned back in his chair, calm and unbothered. "Don’t fight it, Mia. You’re already part of this table. That’s more binding than any title."

Mia groaned into her teacup. "I’ve made a huge mistake."

Serathine’s amber eyes glinted warmly. "On the contrary, my dear. You’ve made yourself unforgettable." She reached delicately for a cube of sugar, her tone casual but her gaze sharp. "That reminds me, your family is part of the Maleks, isn’t it?"

Mia straightened, wary. "You can say that, but we are the poor part of the family; they didn’t care about us."

Cressida hummed, cool and knowing. "They will now that Christopher is in Dax’s palace."

Mia nearly spilled her tea. "What? No, they never cared before; why would they start now?"

Lucas’s voice slid in before anyone else could answer, calm but edged. "Because suddenly, they’ll see value in you. Families like that don’t change, Mia, they calculate. And right now, you’ve become very easy to count."

Sirius leaned forward with a grin, tapping his finger against the table. "Which means you’ll need allies."

Mia blinked at him, uneasy. "Allies?"

Lucius gave a small, precise nod. "He’s right. The moment your cousins or uncles realize Christopher isn’t just in Saha but at Dax’s side, they’ll remember your name. And they will try to use you as a door." His gaze flicked between her and Lucas. "You’ll need protection against them."

Mia frowned, her stomach twisting. "Andrew is our older brother; most likely they are after him."

"Not if we get there faster." Sirius’s tone shifted, the easy amusement replaced by the steel of the Crown Prince.

Mia’s heart skipped, and she understood before anyone explained it. "You want Chris associated with the imperial house, not with the Maleks, don’t you?"

"Clever girl," Cressida said, smiling over the rim of her cup.

Mia’s cheeks warmed at the praise, though the weight of it made her pulse quicken. "So... you’re planning to tie Chris to you before my family can?"

Lucas answered this time, his voice calm but certain. "That’s exactly what they’re planning. And why you’re here." His gaze softened slightly as he added, "For now the name of the dominant omega found by Dax is not public, but the moment the Maleks find out, they will try to tie it to you."

Mia’s throat tightened. "To me? But I’ve got nothing to do with it... Chris is the one..."

"That won’t matter," Lucius cut in, his voice precise. "They’ll use your face, your bloodline, whatever they can leverage. If they can’t control Christopher, they’ll try to control you."

Serathine leaned forward slightly, her amber eyes glinting. "Which is why it’s better you walk into the Capital under Lucas’s shield than be dragged here under theirs."

Cressida stirred her tea with deliberate grace, her silver gaze cool. "And once the announcement is made in Saha, the Maleks will discover their poor cousins are suddenly very valuable. I imagine they will weep about their neglect and rediscover familial loyalty overnight."

Mia scoffed, though the sound was thin, shaken. "Of course they would. They didn’t care when our parents died and Andrew had to take the responsibility of me and Chris... "

The door eased open and the palace steward stepped inside, immaculate in dark livery. His voice was calm, professional, but it cut through the conversation all the same.

"Grand Duchess, Their Highnesses, Mr. Andrew Malek has arrived."