CHAPTER 500: CHAPTER 494: ORFEO RAYNER LYON

The palace hummed steadily a few days later, wards thrumming in their usual pulse, though inside the Emperor’s private suite the atmosphere was softened to a cocoon of quiet. Orfeo Rayner Lyon, the newest prince, slept in his crib like he owned it, fists clenched tight, pale green eyes shut against the world.

Gabriel sat on the couch, a blanket pulled over his legs, exhaustion still hanging at the edges of his frame but not dimming the sharpness of his gaze. His hand rested loosely on the crib’s edge, one finger brushing absently against the baby’s tiny fist.

The wards stirred. Alexandra swept in first, Rowena perched comfortably on her hip, green eyes gleaming with a victory she hadn’t even voiced yet. Behind her trailed Irina, both hands cradling the swell of her stomach, her expression caught somewhere between awe and outright terror at the thought of childbirth.

Gabriel arched a brow the moment he saw them. "Come to gloat?"

"Of course," Alexandra said sweetly, moving closer so Rowena could peer curiously into the crib. "You went through hell, and for what? My eyes. On your son. You should thank me."

Gabriel snorted, low and sharp, rubbing his temple with exaggerated weariness. "I was hoping for Damien’s stubborn hair and my sharp features. Instead, I get Alexandra staring back at me every time he opens his eyes. It’s cosmic mockery."

Rowena squealed, delighted, and Gabriel muttered, "Traitor," under his breath when she patted at her cousin’s blanket with enthusiasm.

Irina, meanwhile, was pale. She lowered herself gingerly into the armchair, eyes darting to Gabriel’s tired form and then to the crib. "You really want to do this again? After... three?"

Gabriel turned his head, brown eyes gleaming faintly with wicked humor. "Of course. One of them will look like me eventually. Probability has to bend."

Irina’s hands tightened over her belly, and she made a strangled sound. "Gods."

Alexandra laughed, brushing Rowena’s curls back as the girl tugged at her collar. "Don’t let him scare you, Irina. He’ll do it again, yes, but he’s also insane. The rest of us only have to do it once or twice."

Irina shot her a horrified look. "Once or twice? That’s still..."

"...not as bad as three," Gabriel cut in dryly, leaning back against the cushions. "Or four. I’m stubborn. Don’t expect sanity in this household."

Alexandra smirked. "You’re impossible. But admit it, Orfeo already looks perfect with our eyes. Even Lucius is going to gloat when he sees him."

Gabriel groaned, dragging his hand down his face, but the corner of his mouth betrayed him with a faint, tired curve.

"Gods help me. One child and suddenly the von Jaunez are everywhere again."

Irina exhaled sharply, sinking deeper into her chair. "I’m doomed."

"Correct," Gabriel murmured, smug despite the shadows under his eyes. He let his gaze flick lazily from her pale face to the faint swell of her stomach, then back again. "But Alexander won’t let anything happen to you. Who would have thought the terrifying commanders of the Shadows would end up as domestic husbands with children?"

Irina blinked at him, startled, then turned pink to the tips of her ears. "That doesn’t make it sound any less terrifying!"

Alexandra laughed, the sound sharp but warm, Rowena wriggling on her lap at the noise. "He’s right though. If anyone’s going to pace a hole into the palace floor during your labor, it’ll be Alexander. Not your father or your brothers. Alexander."

Gabriel hummed in agreement, brown eyes glinting faintly. "And frankly, it will be entertaining. Let him suffer a little. You’ve earned that much."

Irina gaped at him, utterly betrayed, while Alexandra hid her grin behind Rowena’s dark curls.

"Family," Alexandra said sweetly, her voice threaded with amusement. "We’re a supportive lot."

Gabriel huffed, but the smirk lingered as he brushed a thumb across the back of Orfeo’s tiny fist. "Supportive, yes. In the most unhelpful way possible."

The door creaked before Irina could recover, a familiar pair of footsteps thudding across the threshold. Arik barreled in first, curls mussed from whatever mischief he’d been up to, golden eyes darting straight to the crib as if he owned rights to it. Cecil padded in after him, quieter but no less intent, his silver eyes steady, the soft fall of his dark hair too neatly combed to have been his own doing.

Rowena left her mother and trailed in right behind Cecil, her little green eyes alight with curiosity, her skirts wrinkled from running and her hair in disarray from whatever battle she’d fought with her ribbons. "Is he awake?" she demanded, pushing up on tiptoe to peer into the crib.

Arik leaned an elbow against the couch, studying the newest addition to their collection of small tyrants. "He’s small," he declared, unimpressed.

Cecil edged closer, tugging at Gabriel’s sleeve before resting his chin carefully against the armrest. His silver eyes blinked once, thoughtful. "He looks like Aunt Alexandra."

Gabriel let out a low groan, dragging a hand over his face. "Thank you, Cecil. Just what I needed. More confirmation that the von Jaunez genes have staged a coup in my household."

Arik smirked, quick and mischievous. "Maybe he’ll boss you around like Aunt Alexandra too."

Alexandra laughed, sharp and delighted, while Irina looked seconds away from choking on her tea.

Rowena, meanwhile, had wedged herself firmly against the side of the crib, peering down at her tiny cousin with all the authority of a girl who firmly believed the world revolved around her. "He can sit next to me," she announced matter-of-factly.

Gabriel tilted his head toward her, lips curving. "Rowena, he’s three days old. He can’t even sit."

Rowena scowled, folding her arms with great indignation. "Then you hold him until he can."

Cecil nodded solemnly beside her as if this were perfectly reasonable. Arik, of course, grinned wider, golden eyes gleaming. "See, Papa? He’s already got two bosses. You’re outnumbered."

Gabriel sighed, though his mouth twitched despite himself. "You’re all conspiring against me. Wonderful."

The wards stirred again, this time heavier, resonant enough that even Orfeo twitched in his sleep. Gabriel didn’t bother looking up; he knew the cadence of those footsteps too well.

Damian came in first, shoulders broad enough to fill the doorway, golden eyes immediately scanning the room as if it were a war council instead of a nursery besieged by cousins. He moved with that same grace, but his presence folded over the suite like another set of wards, the air shifting instinctively to accommodate him.

Behind him trailed Alexander, tall and sharp even out of uniform, his expression flicking briefly to Irina before he pretended to study the crib instead. Max followed last, his grin careless as ever, though Adam was absent for once.

Arik barely spared the Emperor a glance before launching forward. "Uncle Max! Where’s Noah?"

Max blinked, green eyes amused, and leaned an elbow against the doorframe. "Not even a hello for me? Brutal. Noah’s with Adam, stealing honey biscuits in the kitchens, last I checked."

Arik groaned dramatically, throwing himself back onto the couch cushions. "Unfair. He always gets food when I’m not there."

"Because you’re always here," Cecil said matter-of-factly, still watching the crib. "Noah is smarter."

"Traitor," Arik shot back, glaring at his brother, but the golden spark in his eyes betrayed his grin.

Damian crossed to the crib without a word, his hand settling on Gabriel’s shoulder in a brief, comforting weight before he leaned to look at the sleeping infant. The faintest warmth flickered across his face as Orfeo’s tiny fist twitched against the blanket.

Alexander had folded himself silently against the wall, though Irina’s pink ears gave him away. Max, of course, had already crouched down beside Rowena to peer into the crib, grin widening. "Well, well. Definitely Alexandra’s eyes. But maybe... just maybe... that nose could be mine?"

Gabriel didn’t even open his eyes. "Max, if you claim my child as yours one more time, I’ll have you exiled to the kitchens with Noah."

Arik perked up instantly. "Then I’ll go too."

Rowena gasped as if betrayed. "No! You have to stay and hold him until he can sit next to me!"

The suite dissolved into chaos again, only steadied by Damian’s low hum, just enough to settle Orfeo back into deeper sleep.