The Lord's gaze shifted away for the smallest moment.
Marcus noticed—
So did everyone else.
Grandpa Maxton's expression sharpened immediately. "Exactly. At the time, Seiryu's death mattered more to you than anything that might follow. You don't get to stand there now and behave as though the Maxtons dragged the unwilling Heavenchild family into something you all celebrated when it benefited you."
The Lord's wings moved faintly, but before he could answer, Grandpa Maxton continued. "And since apparently everyone develops selective hearing whenever Danny's name comes up, let me repeat this one final time. He was going to die. Someone saved him before he could take the poison. I didn't suddenly decide that fatherhood mattered more than everything we've spent centuries building."
Marcus scoffed loudly enough that half the room turned toward him.
Grandpa Maxton's eyes narrowed. "Something funny?"
Marcus slowly sat forward: "Yes, actually. All of it!"
