"Of what?" Adrian asked, raising an eyebrow as he slowed his steps beside him.Christian stood in front of the ornate silver carving, fingers lingering near the glass as if the carving itself tugged at something deep inside him. He didn’t answer at first. A gentle confusion passed through his expression, followed by a strangely tender ache he didn’t know how to name."Of… my mother, maybe." His voice was quiet, almost unsure. "I don’t know why, but… something here feels familiar, maybe it's because of this place or things in this place, I don't know what it is.... But everything reminds me of my mother!" Adrian stopped walking.It was subtle, only a slight shift of his shoulders, the smallest pause of breath, but Lysandre, who had followed a few steps behind, noticed instantly. Adrian didn’t react that way to anyone. Ever."Your mother?" Adrian asked softly, "What was she like? What kind of person is she?" Christian blinked at the unexpected question from Adrian.He wasn’t used t

"Nevermore's mansions," Christian let out a bright smile while praising the creativity and elegance both added in the mansion, "are the real definition of beauty, they are telling many stories without even speaking, giving familiar vibes even to a stranger who never stepped into place before." Adrian smiled back at Christian's words, "if you like this place that much you can visit here whenever you want." "Please don't say that," Christian chuckled, "I may come everyday!"Adrian said with a calm face, "even if you want to stay here forever, it's okay." Christian was paused for a minute after hearing Adrian to see if he was joking or something but he wasn't, Lysandre noticed the warm exchange of conversation in between Adrian and Christian quietly.Christian followed Adrian out of the portrait corridor, still feeling the quiet warmth lingering in his chest. He didn’t understand it, and he didn’t try to, not here, not now. Something about this mansion… its air… its walls…. Everythin

"Of course she is alive," Christian replied calmly, unaware of the things gathering across the table. "Why did you ask like that?" Adrian’s jaw flexed once, but his voice stayed surprisingly even. "Just curious, nothing else, my dear!" Lysandre, sitting rigidly with restrained fury, nearly choked on his drink."Curious, my foot! He’s planning that woman’s funeral already." Adrian’s eyes lifted once again, sharper this time. "Where is she now? I mean, where is she living?" Christian blinked once as he was confused since he couldn't understand why Adrian was asking such questions, "Ummm.... I don’t know, after the Sargent family took me back, and also after I got all the inheritance of Adam's family as I'm the heir mentioned in my grandfather's will, I didn’t meet any of them again." The innocence in his tone made Mrs. Nevermore clutch her heart.Christian continued softly, "They tried their best to take the inheritance… but I refused to give it back since that's the only way I can

"Nothing," Adrian said, but his eyes said everything, more than his voice could.Lysandre leaned slightly toward him with a curious look on his face. "My Lord… the disturbance… you felt it too, right?" Adrian didn’t answer, just his aura sharpened, as the instinct of a Stormborn reacting to another losing control."Chris, is it really you?" Adrian murmured, under his breath, worry lacing every syllable.Then footsteps echoed in the hallway, Christian returned.He walked calmly, while smiling lightly, just sat down politely, as he wanted to think of a reason to leave as soon as possible before he lost his control once again.But Adrian saw it instantly, the stiffness in his posture, especially the faint tremor in his fingers, and the slightest unevenness of breath."Chris," Adrian asked softly with a worried face, "are you okay, my dear?" Christian blinked but didn't dare to look at Adrian afraid of getting caught. "Ah, yes, I’m fine, I just needed fresh air." His smile was gentle…

"Chris, can you hear me?" Adrian was trying to keep Christian awake, but his body already went limp in Adrian’s arms.Lightning flickered once more under his skin, then dimmed as exhaustion dragged him under completely. Adrian held him tighter, terrified that if he loosened his grip even slightly, the boy might shatter like glass.That state of Christian shattered Adrian's heart, though his eyes became wet with recognition as he finally got to know why he liked Christian even though they just met for a few times, it's because of the blood relationship in between them that pulled him towards Christian.Mrs. Nevermore rushed out of the doorway, with widened eyes, "Rian, what's happening here?" But Adrian didn’t answer her, as he is panicking about Christian, for the first time in decades, his hands were shaking, those were the same hands which killed many in the battlefield but today they were shaking terribly."Lys," he said in a raw and vulnerable voice, "open the Stormborn chamber.