Chapter 144: Family Tradition

Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Family Tradition

Sebastian’s bad feeling followed them through the next courtyard.

The sound did not repeat immediately, which somehow made it worse, because Nero had gone from mildly curious to visibly interested, and Amaru had acquired the expression of a man who was enjoying himself far too much for a king receiving foreign guests three days before his coronation.

Amelie, meanwhile, refused to meet Sebastian’s eyes.

That alone confirmed there was a problem.

They crossed beneath another carved arch and entered a quieter section of the palace gardens, where the paved paths narrowed between dense greenery and the ornamental courtyards gradually gave way to taller trees, broad patches of grass, and old stone walls half hidden beneath flowering vines.

Sebastian moved closer to Amelie.

"You know what it is."

Her lips pressed together.

"You do."

"I was specifically instructed not to ruin the surprise."

Sebastian glanced ahead.

Amaru and Nero had already moved several steps in front of them, their formal behavior deteriorating by the second.

"When did he make you promise?"

"Yesterday."

"So he knew I would object."

Amelie finally looked at him, blue eyes carrying an apology that was not nearly strong enough.

"He suspected."

"That is worse."

A laugh escaped her before she could stop it.

Ahead, Amaru looked back.

"Are you conspiring against me?"

"Yes," Sebastian answered.

Nero turned as well.

His long white-blond hair shifted over one shoulder, the silver embroidery of his purple coat flashing beneath the sunlight as he walked backward for several steps with complete confidence that nobody would allow him to collide with anything.

"Amelie promised."

Sebastian stared at him.

"You already know?"

"No."

Nero’s smile widened.

"But I know Amaru."

Amaru gave him a sideways look. "That sounded threatening."

"It was affectionate."

"You once threatened to burn one of my council chambers."

"It was an ugly council chamber."

Sebastian slowed.

There it was.

The familiar tone had appeared so naturally that he wondered how often Nero and Amaru had spoken over the years without Sebastian knowing about it. Amaru no longer sounded like the controlled future king greeting a royal delegation, and Nero had stopped sounding remotely diplomatic.

That made the gift significantly more concerning.

"Amelie," Sebastian murmured.

"I know."

"You are my only ally."

"I am trying."

"You are failing."

"I swore."

Sebastian sighed.

They rounded the final wall and emerged into a large private garden separated from the rest of the palace by bronze fencing worked into patterns of leaves and hunting animals. Beyond it stretched an enclosure large enough to contain several mature trees, a shallow pool, shaded stone shelters, and enough open ground that Sebastian immediately understood why it had been hidden behind the western wing.

Nero stopped.

Amaru watched him rather than the enclosure.

That was Sebastian’s second warning.

The first had been the sound.

Something moved beneath the trees.

White fur appeared between the shadows.

Sebastian went completely still.

The tiger stepped into the sunlight with the unhurried confidence of an animal that had never once considered whether anything in the world might be more dangerous than she was.

She was young, though already enormous by ordinary standards, her coat almost pure white except for pale silver stripes that became visible along her shoulders and flanks when she moved. Her broad head turned toward the group near the fence.

Then her eyes caught the light.

Purple.

Nero stopped breathing.

Sebastian knew those eyes. Not literally, of course. Tania had been dead for years.

But for one disorienting second, Sebastian saw her again, stretched across the warm stone near Chris’s garden in Saha, white tail flicking irritably whenever Jax crawled too close to her paws, while Nero sat against her side with one hand buried casually in her fur as though sharing space with a tiger was no stranger than sitting beside a family dog.

Nero stepped toward the fence.

"Amaru."

The king smiled.

Sebastian closed his eyes.

"No."

Nobody answered him.

He opened them again.

The tiger had approached the edge of the enclosure, purple gaze fixed curiously on Nero.

Amaru folded his arms.

"My father maintained the line Tania came from. After he died, most of the animals were transferred to protected breeding reserves, but the line still exists."

Nero looked almost painfully pleased.

"She’s related to Tania?"

"Several generations removed, but yes."

Nero turned toward Sebastian.

That was an expression Sebastian had very rarely seen on him.

Pure hope.

Sebastian immediately pointed at him.

"Don’t."

"I haven’t said anything."

"Your face has."

Amaru laughed.

That sounded far too familiar, too.

Nero looked back toward him. "You planned this."

"For months."

"You magnificent bastard."

Amelie covered her face with one hand.

Sebastian looked at her.

"You married into this willingly."

"I know."

"You cannot judge me now."

"I’m judging Amaru."

"That is acceptable."

The tiger reached the fence and rubbed the side of her enormous head against the bronze bars.

Nero crouched immediately.

Sebastian’s heart sank.

"Nero."

"She likes me."

"She has known you for eight seconds."

"That is enough."

Amaru leaned casually against one of the stone posts.

"My father gave Tania to Dax and Chris when they married. I thought continuing the tradition seemed appropriate."

Sebastian stared at him.

"You are giving us a tiger as a wedding gift?"

"Yes."

Nero reached through the reinforced gap far enough to let the animal investigate his hand.

Sebastian watched the tiger press her nose against Nero’s fingers.

Of course she liked him.

Animals apparently possessed the same defective judgment as half the people around him.

"What does one do with a tiger in the middle of Altera?"

Nero looked over his shoulder.

"We have gardens."

"You have a palace."

"A palace with gardens."

"A very populated palace."

Amaru answered before Nero could.

"She is accustomed to people, handlers, vehicles, indoor environments, and controlled social contact. She has been trained from infancy, and her care team will remain with her until Saha appoints permanent staff."

Sebastian slowly turned toward him.

"You already arranged transportation."

Amaru smiled.

Sebastian looked at Amelie.

She winced.

"I told you I was sworn to secrecy."

"This was not secrecy. This was logistics."

Nero stood again and walked back toward Sebastian, reaching for his waist with the confidence of someone who had already decided the discussion was halfway won.

"She’s beautiful."

Sebastian looked at him.

Nero bent slightly until their faces were closer.

"You loved Tania."

"That is emotional manipulation."

"Yes."

"At least you admit it."

Nero smiled.

Behind him, the tiger gave another low chuff and settled beside the fence, enormous white paws crossing neatly in front of her.

Sebastian looked at her.

Purple eyes watched him.

The resemblance was unfair.

He remembered Tania sleeping beneath Sahan sunlight, old and enormous and spoiled beyond repair, while the entire royal family rearranged their lives around an animal nobody had originally expected to become family.

Amaru spoke more quietly.

"You can refuse."

Nero looked wounded before Sebastian had even answered.

Sebastian rubbed a hand over his face.

Amelie moved beside him.

"For what it’s worth, I suggested jewelry."

Sebastian looked at her.

"You are officially my favorite person in Draxil."

"I tried."

Nero leaned closer.

Sebastian pointed at him again.

"Do not celebrate yet."

"I’m not."

"You are practically glowing."

Nero glanced toward the tiger.

Then back to Sebastian.

"I think she needs a name."

Sebastian closed his eyes.

That battle was already lost.