Chapter 572: Draxil.

Draxil felt different from the last time Dean had entered it.

That was probably because nobody was trying to kill them.

Since Amaru took control, the royal airfield outside the capital had been renovated, replacing damaged military structures with pale stone terminals, broad glass walls, and enough ceremonial banners to make the upcoming coronation impossible to forget. Dark blue and silver hung from every column, bearing the new royal insignia instead of the emblems of the dynasty that had ruled before him.

Theo noticed the flags first.

"What is that one?"

Dean followed his pointing finger while Hunter moved ahead with security and Matthias stayed close enough to Theo to catch him if he decided the stairs looked negotiable.

"That is Amaru’s crest."

"The king?"

"Almost."

Theo considered that.

"He is not king yet?"

"The coronation is tomorrow."

"So today he is half king?"

Arion, walking beside them in a dark travel suit with his jacket open, looked down at his son.

"That is not how monarchy works."

Theo frowned.

"It should."

Dean smiled.

The flight had helped.

By the time they crossed into Draxil, the black dragon had stopped being the center of Theo’s attention, replaced by clouds, snacks, the view from the aircraft windows, and an extended explanation from Matthias about why mountains looked smaller from the air.

The ancient presence remained behind Arion’s barrier.

Theo had asked about it only once after takeoff.

Then he moved on.

At four, apparently, international travel was more interesting than mysterious beings buried beneath forests.

Dean was grateful.

The receiving party waited beyond the private arrivals corridor.

Amaru stood at the center.

Dean almost failed to recognize him for half a second.

Not because his appearance had changed dramatically, but because everything around him had.

The man they once found imprisoned and chemically suppressed on Snake Island had carried exhaustion so deeply that even standing upright seemed like defiance. Now he looked entirely at home beneath Draxil’s colors, tall and broad-shouldered in a dark ceremonial coat with silver embroidery running along the collar and cuffs, his black hair neatly swept back from his face.

A woman stood beside him.

Amelie.

Dean remembered her from Claudia’s palace records.

One of the dominant omegas recovered from prolonged suppression, sleeping so deeply under Claudia’s cocktail that they had once worried whether any of the five would wake normally at all.

She had.

Very normally, apparently.

Amelie wore a deep-blue dress beneath a silver mantle fastened at one shoulder. Her hair, a warm brown that Dean remembered seeing tangled across a medical pillow years earlier, was now arranged in a loose formal twist. She stood close enough to Amaru that their sleeves touched.

Amaru’s gaze found Dean and Arion before immediately dropping to Theo.

His expression changed.

"Oh."

Dean looked down at his son.

"There it is."

Theo looked up.

"What?"

"The reason nobody cares that your fathers arrived."

Amaru was already approaching.

Arion extended a hand.

"Congratulations."

Amaru ignored it and crouched in front of Theodore.

Arion looked at his empty hand.

Dean laughed.

Theo studied Amaru with the frank interest he gave anyone unfamiliar but apparently important.

"You’re Amaru."

"I am."

"You’re half king."

Amaru blinked.

Behind him, Amelie covered her mouth.

Arion closed his eyes.

"No."

Theo turned.

"But Papa said tomorrow."

"Papa did not say half king."

Amaru started laughing.

Dean remembered a time when he had not been certain the man would ever laugh like that again.

Amaru stood and finally accepted Arion’s hand.

"I see he has your diplomatic instincts."

"He does not."

Dean smiled sweetly.

"He absolutely does."

Amelie stepped forward next.

Unlike Amaru, she greeted Dean first, taking his hands briefly before pulling him into a restrained embrace.

"It has been too long."

"You look well."

"So do you."

Amelie looked toward Theo.

"And this is Theodore."

Theo offered her his hand with the solemn dignity he had recently decided suited formal introductions.

"Hello."

Amelie shook it.

"Hello, Your Highness."

Theo brightened.

He loved titles when people used them seriously.

Amaru noticed.

"Would you like to see the palace?"

"Yes."

"The gardens?"

"Yes."

"The royal kitchens?"

Theo looked at Dean.

"Can I?"

"You are not raiding them."

Amaru smiled.

"I make no such promises."

That was enough for Theo.

He held his arms up.

Amaru stared at the child before looking at Dean for permission.

Dean nodded.

Amaru lifted Theo easily.

Within seconds, the child had one arm around his neck and was asking questions about the silver clasp at his shoulder.

Amelie watched them with obvious amusement.

"He has been waiting for this."

"For Theo?"

"For all of you."

Amaru heard her.

"That is slander."

"You asked three times whether the Alaminan aircraft had landed."

"I was checking the schedule."

"You were checking Theo."

Dean glanced toward Arion.

"This is spreading."

"It began with Nero."

As though summoned by irritation alone, a familiar voice came from the entrance behind them.

"Why is my godson in someone else’s arms?"

Dean turned.

Nero entered beside Sebastian.

And for a moment, even Dean forgot about Theo.

This was the first time he had seen them prepared for an international political appearance as a couple.

Sebastian wore a tailored dark-green suit cut close through the waist, formal enough for Draxil without surrendering any of the severity he preferred. The changes from his transition were subtle but visible to family: his pheromonal profile had settled further into dominant omega, his features perhaps a little finer around the edges, his green eyes sharp as ever.

Nero looked exactly like someone who knew half the cameras on the continent would be interested in them tomorrow and had decided to make the problem worse.

White-blond hair fell almost to his waist, tied loosely beneath a silver clasp, while his black formal coat carried deep purple embroidery along one side. He stood beside Sebastian without touching him, yet the space between them felt claimed anyway.

The moment Nero saw Theo, everything else stopped mattering.

Amaru tightened his hold immediately.

"No."

Nero continued walking.

"You have had him long enough."

"I have had him for three minutes."

"Excessive."

Theo saw Nero.

"Uncle Nero!"

Nero smiled.

"My moon’s favorite nephew."

Sebastian looked at him.

"He is my only nephew."

"That does not contradict me."

Amaru shifted Theo to his other side.

"This is my country."

Nero reached them.

"And he is my godson."

"That gives you no diplomatic authority."

"It gives me greater authority."

"According to whom?"

"Me."

Dean looked at Arion.

"Should we intervene?"

"No."

"Agreed."

Nero simply held out his arms.

Theo leaned toward him immediately.

Amaru stared at the child in betrayal.

"You were enjoying yourself."

Theo nodded.

"I was."

"Then why are you leaving?"

"Nero has long hair."

Amaru looked at Dean.

Dean shrugged.

"You lost to hair."

Nero took Theo with the satisfaction of a man reclaiming stolen property and settled him on one arm.

Theo immediately grabbed a strand of white-blond hair.

Sebastian sighed.

"You encourage him."

"He appreciates quality."

Theo leaned toward Sebastian next.

"Uncle Sebastian."

Sebastian’s entire expression softened before he could stop it.

"Hello, Theo."

Theo reached for him too.

Nero looked offended.

"No."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow.

"He wants me."

"He just arrived."

"So did I."

Nero held on for another two seconds before surrendering Theo across the narrow space between them.

Sebastian took him.

Theo settled comfortably against his chest.

Dean watched Nero watch them.

There was something almost painfully content in the way he did it.

Amelie noticed too.

She smiled faintly.

Amaru, still apparently offended at losing Theo, adjusted his cuffs.

"The coronation is tomorrow. Tonight is private."

"Good," Arion said.

Dean relaxed.

Then Amaru looked toward Theo.

"The kitchens are still available."

Nero immediately said, "We are going."

Amaru frowned.

"I invited Theo."

"I am supervising."

"You are stealing him again."

Nero smiled.

"Correct."

Sebastian looked toward Dean.

"Does he always behave like this with Theo?"

"Yes."

"Worse," Arion added.

Theo laughed.