Chương 48: Family Matters

Family breakfast was not something we normally bothered with, mostly because very few members actually required breakfast. Adrian ate occasionally because he regarded routine as one of civilization's load-bearing pillars. Celeste ate because every meal presented another opportunity to transform food into either a social gathering or an unsolicited investigation into my emotional health.

Malcolm and Vera frequently ate together, although watching them made it difficult to determine where breakfast ended and the daily public demonstration of their affection began. Nadia participated whenever she wanted the comfort of pretending life was normal for a while. Rowan, on the other hand, generally ate whenever food appeared and no one actively prevented him from reaching it.

Aura approached breakfast with the enthusiasm of a dragon who had discovered table manners and decided they were merely recommendations. As for me, food was recreational. Pleasant when I wanted it, unnecessary when I did not, and generally little more than a hobby involving considerably more teeth than most. Today, however, everyone had apparently decided breakfast mattered. Hunger had nothing to do with it. Curiosity was responsible, which I considered a considerably fouler habit.

Naturally, this was Celeste's fault. She had spent most of the previous evening making noises outside my bedroom, asking questions no daughter needed answered, being removed from my door, returning to my door, whispering with Aura, and apparently informing everyone on the top floor that Akane and I were progressing. I had deliberately avoided asking what that meant.

By the time I left my room that morning, I had dressed in a black blouse beneath a fitted jacket trimmed in violet and gathered enough dignity to behave as though the previous night had not fundamentally altered several aspects of my existence. Akane stepped into the hallway beside me as though accompanying me from my bedroom were already part of her daily routine. She wore a loose silver-white top draped elegantly over one shoulder, paired with a fitted black skirt and delicate gold jewelry.

Her dark hair flowed freely down her back, her fox ears flicked with lazy contentment, and all nine tails moved behind her with the effortless grace of someone who had already caused several problems before breakfast and fully intended to continue. Akane looked completely relaxed, while I settled for composed, which was not remotely the same thing.

We had taken perhaps three steps before Celeste appeared from the opposite direction, her face brightening the instant she saw me as both arms lifted toward my unoccupied side.

"Good morning, Mother…" A second Akane suddenly appeared between us. There was no visible transition. One moment Celeste had an unobstructed path toward me, and the next another nine-tailed fox stood directly in front of her, wearing Akane's face, clothing, scent, and deeply aggravating smile. Celeste stopped so abruptly that her shoes nearly protested, and when I glanced toward Akane beside me, she met my stare with a small, thoroughly smug smile that pulled the corner of my mouth upward despite myself.

"A clone?" I asked quizzically.

"One of many little tricks I have accumulated over the years." The duplicate leaned toward Celeste and winked while the original Akane slipped closer to me.

"We could make use of it at night, if you wished." Celeste caught every word, and understanding spread across her face with alarming speed. A heartbeat later, she did what Celeste did best and announced her reaction loudly enough for the entire corridor to hear.

"AT NIGHT?" Several doors opened almost simultaneously. Nadia appeared first, peeking into the corridor from her doorway as Rowan emerged from the room across the hall. Aura opened her door just far enough for one suspicious violet eye to stare through the gap. At the far end of the hall, Adrian stepped from his suite wearing the expression of a man who had awakened already exhausted by events that had not technically happened yet. Malcolm and Vera emerged together a moment later.

Every instinct I possessed for preserving what remained of my dignity snapped immediately into place.

"I deny whatever all of you think you just heard." Celeste pointed accusingly toward Akane.

"She said…"

"I deny it."

"Mother, she specifically…"

"I'm prepared to deny the concept of sound itself." Akane giggled beside me. One of her tails slipped around my waist while another brushed along my hip. A third began wandering somewhere I considered entirely inappropriate for a hallway currently occupied by my entire family. I caught the offending tail.

"Control them."

"They like you."

"They're lawless."

"They take after me."

"That's not the defense you seem to think it is." While I dealt with the original, Akane's duplicate turned toward Celeste.

"I understand that you and Helena are extremely close and that you enjoy monopolizing a considerable amount of her attention." Celeste's expression sharpened immediately.

"But I'm here now," the clone added pleasantly, "and Helena is my mate. I would appreciate it if you learned to back away occasionally." The hallway became quiet. Celeste stepped forward until she stood directly in front of the duplicate.

"I refuse." The clone blinked. Celeste planted both hands on her hips.

"I'm Mother's most important assistant. I handle operations, entertainment, decoration, staff morale, guest experience, emotional support, emergency commentary, and the important responsibility of making sure she does not sit alone in dramatic corners for excessive periods of time." I stared at her. Celeste lifted her chin.

"I'm needed." A laugh escaped Akane beside me. Celeste immediately pointed in my direction.

"She also enjoys our banter." Every face in the corridor turned toward me. It was not entirely a lie, but admitting that much to Celeste would only make her even more unbearable. Even Vesper, perched comfortably on Vera's shoulder, regarded me with bright crimson eyes that somehow conveyed judgment despite having absolutely no involvement in the conversation. I shrugged.

"Celeste can occasionally be entertaining when she's not also being irritating." My daughter practically illuminated at the admission, and Akane noticed immediately. Her smile remained in place, though the possessive edge beneath it sharpened just enough for me to catch.

"Do you not already have a husband?" She pointed toward Adrian, who looked first at Akane, then at Celeste, and finally at me.

"I have no desire whatsoever to participate in this conversation." Coward… Celeste huffed.

"Adrian and I spend our nights together. Just like you spent last night with Mother." My jaw tightened at the implication, while Akane merely smiled as Celeste stepped toward me again and reached for my arm.

"During the day, I get that attention. Akane can have you at night."

"No," Akane exclaimed. Celeste froze. The duplicate rolled her shoulders.

"If you feel strongly enough about it, we can settle the matter physically." Celeste's eyes immediately lit.

"No," I said before it escalated. My objection arrived too late. The clone moved first. Once I focused on the spell itself, its complexity became much easier to appreciate. Akane had woven foxfire, illusion, scent, physical force, and something that brushed close enough to the soul that every meaningful sense accepted the duplicate as real.

It was an impressive piece of magic, which naturally made it even more irritating when the clone caught Celeste by the wrist, pivoted smoothly, and sent her over one shoulder with enough ease to draw a delighted shriek from my daughter as she flipped through the air.

"Mother, I'm being kidnapped by your girlfriend!"

"She's not my girlfriend. Last night doesn't count." Akane turned toward me with a slow, delighted smile. I immediately regretted giving her anything to work with. Celeste struck the carpet, rolled through the impact, and came back to her feet laughing.

"Fine. If I win, I get day custody."

"This is not about custody." No one acknowledged me. Akane's clone lunged again, and within seconds the two disappeared down the corridor in a blur of wind, illusion, and deeply offended daughterly pride. A distant crash echoed from the training wing as I stared after them, while Akane calmly slipped her arm through mine as though nothing unusual had happened.

"Breakfast?" Another impact followed, earning a weary sigh from Adrian as Aura finally opened her door completely.

"Is Celeste fighting the fox copy?"

"Yes." Aura considered that for a moment before giving a small nod.

"Good." I looked at her.

"You're enjoying this?"

"She threatened my roof perch yesterday."

"That had absolutely nothing to do with this."

"My grievances are connected." There seemed little value in arguing with dragon logic before breakfast, so we continued toward the family dining room. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! The private dining area overlooked Ravenport through enormous glass walls engineered to withstand artillery, dragon fire, most siege magic, and several of Celeste's stronger opinions. Morning sunlight washed the city in silver and gold.

Far below, guests crossed the plaza without the slightest idea that a domestic war was currently developing one hundred floors above them. The table had already been prepared. Trays covered nearly every available section of its surface. Eggs, meats, pastries, fruit, breads, sauces, coffee, tea, blood wine, and several plates stacked high enough that Aura's involvement required no investigation. Everyone settled into their seats.

Akane claimed the chair beside mine and immediately shifted close enough that the distinction between two chairs became largely theoretical. Aura sat directly across from her and glared. Nadia and Rowan settled beside one another. Malcolm and Vera took their usual places, their hands finding each other beneath the table with such practiced ease that apparently even breakfast required romance. Adrian chose the seat opposite mine at the far end.

From there, he could observe the doors, windows, hallway, family, and any incoming catastrophe shaped suspiciously like his wife. Another crash came from the training wing, suggesting that particular catastrophe was still occupied, so breakfast began without her. Most of the vampires took little more than a pastry, some fruit, coffee, or blood wine, while Akane regarded the spread as though she had personally discovered civilization. Then she started eating. I wasn't the only one who noticed.

Akane attacked breakfast with impressive speed, genuine enthusiasm, and absolutely no concern for the elegant image her clothing suggested. Meat disappeared first, followed by bread, fruit, more meat, something drenched in spice, a pastry, coffee, another pastry, and finally a fried stack of ingredients Celeste had once described as financially irresponsible.

A small streak of sauce gathered at the corner of Akane's mouth, and when she removed it with her tongue, my attention lingered just long enough for her to notice.

"What?" She asked. I considered the question. Then I decided to attack.

"Aren't you concerned I might find the way you're eating unattractive?" Surely even Akane would pause at that. She swallowed, smiled, and moved before I could enjoy the thought. One moment she was seated beside me; the next, she was straddling my lap with one hand resting against my shoulder as her mouth covered mine, carrying the faint taste of spice and sauce with it. She kissed me without the slightest concern for the fact that my entire family was watching from around the breakfast table.

When Akane finally drew back, the smile on her face had somehow become even more insufferable.

"Well?" Her smile could brighten up the whole room. The dining room had gone completely silent. A fork clattered against a plate. Rowan choked on whatever he had been drinking. Nadia immediately found the table fascinating. Malcolm's mouth twitched while Vera lifted her napkin in an admirable but unsuccessful attempt to conceal a smile.

Aura stared at Akane as though the fox had just declared war, won it, and demanded reparations before breakfast, while Adrian looked toward the ceiling as if searching for patience somewhere above us. I kept my attention fixed on Akane instead, forced to admit that the kiss had been far from unpleasant. Unfortunately, that answered my own question.

"No response?" Akane slowly drew away from my lips, her gaze never leaving mine as one finger traced the length of my arm. Only then did she ease herself from my lap and settle back into the chair beside me with infuriating composure.

"What exactly do you expect me to say after that?" Akane's smile widened.

"I was hoping for something flattering."

"Then prepare to be disappointed."

"Your reaction was flattering enough." I narrowed my eyes.

"You're impossible."

"And yet you keep letting me get away with it." Another explosion vibrated faintly through the floor, drawing Aura's attention toward the training wing.

"Celeste will be all right, won't she?" I asked with a bit of caution in my voice. Akane took another bite of meat.

"Of course." A second crash followed.

"I'm merely teaching her a lesson."

"You understand Celeste has an attention span of approximately thirty minutes when excited. Whatever lesson you're teaching her will probably disappear the moment she sees something shiny." Akane considered that while chewing.

"Then I suppose I will have to beat the lesson into her more thoroughly." Adrian lowered his cup with deliberate care.

"Please avoid damaging the structure."

"I will try." Rowan leaned subtly toward Nadia.

"That means no."

"It always means no," Nadia whispered. I leaned farther into my chair.

"For what it's worth, I don't actually dislike spending time with Celeste." Akane's attention shifted immediately toward me. Unfortunately, so did everyone else's.

"She does an excellent job," I admitted.

"She can simply become extremely overbearing." Aura tilted her head.

"Overbearing?"

"Do not learn new terminology for existing behavior," Adrian replied. Akane rested her chin against one hand and regarded me with that infuriatingly knowing look she wore whenever she thought she had already figured something out.

"I know what Celeste is to you." I narrowed my eyes.

"That sounded suspiciously reasonable."

"I can be reasonable."

"Rarely." From what I've seen. Her lips curved.

"Occasionally."

"Not surprised." The amusement in her expression faded just enough for me to notice.

"My kind is possessive about those we bond with. Extremely so…"

"I'm not something you can own." Akane's answer came without hesitation.

"I know." There was no teasing in her expression and no trace of her usual playful smile, only certainty. A moment later, one corner of her mouth began to lift again.

"Unfortunately for you, that doesn't make me any less territorial." My fingers tightened slightly around the cup.

"That sounds like a personal problem."

"It is." One of Akane's tails brushed lazily against my leg beneath the table as her smile deepened.

"And I intend to make it yours whenever possible. Among my people, competing suitors settling matters through violence was hardly unusual, and those fights did not always end with both of them walking away. Once we choose someone and form a true bond, sharing their affection does not come naturally."

"Charming culture."

"Violent, possessive, and brutally honest." She gave a small shrug.

"We had our flaws."

"Had?"

"I'm attempting self-improvement." Another distant boom sounded off in the distance.

"Your clone is currently throwing my daughter through reinforced architecture."

"Improvement takes time." Malcolm failed to suppress a laugh quickly enough, disguising it as a cough when I looked in his direction. Akane's amusement faded as her attention returned fully to me.

"For all my jealousy, I do understand Celeste's place beside you." That pulled my attention back to her.

"She's your daughter, and she was part of your life long before I returned. I know how important she is to you." Akane held my gaze without wavering.

"You love her, even if you insist on burying most of that affection beneath threats, sarcasm, and endless complaints about personal space." I looked into my cup for assistance, but it offered none. When Akane spoke again, some of the seriousness had eased from her tone.

"But if she clings to you too much, I will become jealous." Aura leaned forward, and a dangerous gleam entered Akane's eyes.

"And if I become jealous, you may be the one who suffers for it later." She was staring me directly in the eyes as those words left her lips. My entire body went rigid as the meaning beneath her words landed, and the rest of the table seemed to understand it at nearly the same moment. Even Vesper stopped moving. I turned slowly toward Akane, fully aware of exactly what she was implying, only to find her smiling back at me without the faintest trace of shame.

"Do you genuinely have to say things like that in front of my family?" Akane glanced around the table as though only then remembering we weren't alone. Adrian had gone perfectly blank, wearing the expression of a man already filing the entire exchange under information I intend never to acknowledge again, while Malcolm was failing heroically not to laugh and Vera watched with polite fascination.

Nadia had developed enough color in her face that I briefly questioned whether vampires were medically capable of blushing that intensely; Rowan wore a grin that should have been classified as a criminal offense, and Aura somehow managed to look both confused and personally insulted. After taking in the damage, Akane returned her attention to me.

"Yes." I closed my eyes.

"Which one of us is supposed to be in control here? Because you're making a compelling argument for another fight." Akane laughed.

"If you insist on taking control, I would be perfectly content just lying there and letting you work."

"Akane." Her name escaped me before I could think of anything else to say, my eyes widening despite myself. Her smile only deepened.

"Of course, if you want to experience being defeated, I'm your girl."

"Akane," I repeated, being just as tongue-tied. This time, her laughter softened, and something more thoughtful settled into her expression.

"What I told you before still stands. We are equals, Helena. The difference is that I have never been shy about reaching for what I want, and I have no intention of pretending otherwise." Her golden eyes remained fixed on mine.

"You tend to be more reserved until someone pushes far enough." A smile returned.

"And then you destroy whatever is in front of you." I considered the description.

"That was almost flattering."

"It was entirely flattering." Beneath the table, she continued her onslaught with multiple tails. The fluff was definitely appreciated, but the feelings they were drawing out of me were not something I needed right now. Akane leaned slightly closer.

"So if you want any hope of controlling me, perhaps you should learn how to tame me." The cup cracked in my hand, not enough to shatter but enough to draw Rowan's attention farther down the table.

"That was incredible." Nadia elbowed him sharply, while Vera's shoulders shook with restrained laughter and Malcolm turned away from me entirely, no longer bothering to hide his amusement. Aura, meanwhile, frowned in thoughtful consideration.

"Can foxes actually be tamed?" I asked seriously.

"No," Adrian answered. His delivery was so perfectly flat that I nearly laughed. I set the cracked cup down before it became powder.

"That's quite the proclamation."

"It is." Akane nodded.

"Do you deliberately attempt to embarrass me in front of my entire family?" Akane leaned closer; lowering her voice just enough to create the illusion of privacy while ensuring everyone could still hear.

"Yes." I stared at her. She smiled back without remorse.

"I waited a very long time for you. I'm entitled to be difficult for at least a little while."

"You waited?" I turned toward her.

"I was the one waiting."

"You complained."

"I waited angrily." Akane nodded with mock solemnity.

"That still counts." Before I could answer, the dining room doors slammed open. Celeste staggered inside. Her silver-blonde hair had become a disaster, one sleeve was torn near the shoulder, and enough faint smoke drifted from her clothing to suggest the training room had suffered. She looked exhilarated and offended in equal measure, yet somehow deeply pleased with herself.

Akane's clone followed close behind without a single visible mark, looking every bit as insufferable as the original, while Celeste immediately pointed an accusing finger at her.

"She cheated."

"You tried to electrocute me."

"It was a perfectly reasonable escalation." The clone looked at the faint scorch marks on Celeste's sleeve.

"You say that as though it helps your case." Celeste opened her mouth to argue before noticing the original Akane sitting suspiciously close beside me. Her eyes moved between everyone's expressions within the room.

"What did I miss?" Rowan immediately opened his mouth, only for Nadia to cover it with one hand before he could say anything. Vera hid a smile behind her tea, while Malcolm suddenly found his breakfast fascinating enough to avoid looking at me. Aura, apparently the only person willing to answer, supplied the explanation.

"Foxes cannot be tamed." Celeste blinked. Then she turned slowly toward me.

"Mother?"

"Nothing happened." Akane's smile sharpened. Celeste's eyes widened.

"Tell me!"

"No."

"Something definitely happened."

"Nothing interesting." Celeste pointed toward me.

"You're using the short answers."

"What?" She always develops these stupid things about my personality. I stopped long ago trying to understand it.

"That means something happened." I stood. The table became quiet.

"Breakfast is over." Adrian looked down at the enormous amount of untouched food.

"We have barely begun." Akane rose beside me, her tails spreading contentedly behind her.

"Your mother is flustered."

"I am not." Celeste clutched both hands dramatically against her chest.

"You made Mother flustered?" Akane looked entirely too satisfied.

"I have that effect on her." I turned toward her. She met my stare with bright golden eyes and the expression of a woman who had planted a flag atop a conquered mountain and found the view exceptionally pleasant. I should have denied it, but instead I remained silent just long enough for Celeste to notice. Her eyes widened as the meaning of that hesitation settled in.

"No."

"You didn't deny it."

"I just did."

"No, you gave me a very suspicious 'no.'""There is no such thing."

"There absolutely is." Akane laughed beside me. Celeste took another step toward my side, only for Akane's clone to appear in front of her again. She stopped short and stared at the duplicate.

"This is completely unfair."

"Yes," Akane agreed with a nonchalant attitude, showing absolutely no remorse. Celeste looked genuinely betrayed.

"You admit it?"

"Of course." A reluctant smile tugged at Celeste's mouth.

"I almost respect that." The clone extended one hand toward her, and Celeste eyed it with immediate suspicion before reluctantly accepting. The moment their hands met, the duplicate used the grip to throw her straight back through the doorway, sending Celeste into the corridor with a delighted shriek as Adrian closed his eyes in weary resignation.

"Training room?" I asked. The clone dusted off her hands.

"Probably."

"You're enjoying this far too much."

"Just defending what's mine." I looked toward Akane. The playful satisfaction in her expression eased as she moved closer.

"I will not take your family away from you, Helena." The change in tone settled across the room. My attention remained on her.

"I know I can be jealous, push your patience, and make myself thoroughly unbearable when I want to be."

"That part has already been established." I immediately agreed. A faint smile appeared. Then her seriousness returned.

"But I know what they mean to you." Her fingers found mine beneath the edge of the table.

"I know how difficult it was for you to allow anyone close enough to become family. I would never ask you to accept less love from them simply so I could feel more secure in mine." I had expected another joke. Instead, I found myself studying her. Only minutes earlier she had been competing with Celeste for my attention, embarrassing me in front of everyone, and casually describing a culture in which romantic disputes occasionally ended in death.

Yet beneath all of that possessiveness was a boundary Akane understood perfectly. She could be jealous without demanding that I make my family smaller simply to reassure her. That mattered more than I intended to admit.

"That's acceptable." Akane smiled.

"Very eloquent."

"I'm renowned for speeches."

"I thought you were renowned for threats."

"Essentially the same skill with a less appreciative audience." Celeste's voice carried from somewhere beyond the door.

"I HEARD THAT!" Without bothering to look toward the doorway, I simply shrugged, having no idea what conclusion Celeste had somehow managed to reach. Akane laughed, and gradually the rest of the family returned to breakfast. Conversation picked up again as plates moved around the table and cups were refilled. Aura stole three pastries when she apparently believed no one was watching, although everyone saw her and no one considered stopping her worth the effort.

Adrian began discussing updated guild patrols with Malcolm, while Vera asked Nadia about a recent blood-memory case. Rowan attempted to question Akane's clone about how shadow magic interacted with fox illusions and received a tail flick directly to the forehead for his curiosity. I let my gaze move around the table, taking in the ridiculous collection of people I had somehow accumulated over the centuries. And now Akane sat among them. She was not replacing anyone or demanding space that belonged to someone else.

She was simply becoming part of what was already here. Beneath the table, her fingers brushed mine with familiarity. She made no attempt to take my hand or draw attention to the contact, and I made no effort to move away. Celeste would eventually adjust to Akane's presence, although she would undoubtedly complain throughout the process.

Aura would sulk whenever she believed someone had stolen too much of my attention, Adrian would continue pretending personal matters did not exist until the end of time, and everyone else would watch the resulting disasters with entirely too much amusement. Akane would continue pushing every boundary I allowed her near. Apparently, I was beginning to look forward to it.