"Why did your mother not hear of your engagement from you?"
The question did not sound loud.
But it struck hard.
Llandra felt it in her chest.
Why hadn't she told them?
She had told herself it was simple. Life had been chaotic. Battles. Politics. Infrastructure. The Empire. The Chronicle.
An oversight.
That's what she had called it.
But now, standing before the Royal Veil…
Another possibility whispered inside her.
Had she been afraid?
Afraid they would disapprove of her choosing a human?
Afraid they would question her sharing him with three other women?
Afraid he wasn't royal enough?
Her gaze drifted briefly to the Vixens.
They were thinking the same thing.
None of them had informed their families.
Not one.
"I am truly sorry," Llandra said, her voice steady but softer now. "That was a regrettable oversight. The engagement itself was… sudden. There was no intent to deceive."
She hesitated.
"Do they know now?"
Vaelrith answered without hesitation.
"We reported the matter several days ago when we confirmed your well-being."
Nyxian tilted her head.
"Do they know he's engaged to the rest of us?"
Dawnaris didn't flinch.
"They know what we know. It is our sworn duty to inform the King of what we learn."
The air shifted.
The alley suddenly felt smaller.
Colder.
The Vixens' expressions tightened.
What would the King think?
What would the Queen say?
Jax stepped forward, smooth and unbothered.
"Well," he said lightly, "any friends of Llandra's are friends of ours."
He gestured toward the main road.
"You should join us for dinner tonight. Proper hospitality. A chance to see our home."
One of the Veil members narrowed his eyes.
"What makes you think we haven't already been inside it?"
Jax smirked.
"Because you're still alive."
A pause.
It was true.
They had observed the exterior.
Mapped the grounds.
Noted the pool.
The hot springs.
The fountains.
They had even documented the… nightly acoustics.
Those details had been… diplomatically summarized for the King.
But they had not crossed the threshold.
"Then a proper introduction is in order," Jax said easily.
And just like that, the tension shifted again.
The Complex
The two groups made their way to what Solmere had begun calling The Complex.
Others preferred:
The House of Vixens.
From the outside, it was impressive.
Expansive terraces.
A shimmering pool.
Magically heated springs.
Fountains flowing with precision-crafted water enchantments.
A panoramic view of crystal lakes and rolling valleys beyond.
The grounds were immaculate.
Local landscapers maintained it.
Engineers oversaw magical systems.
Jax invested locally — always.
Inside—
The Veil paused.
Modern.
Refined.
Elegant.
The kitchen alone rivaled royal estates.
Polished stone counters.
Advanced enchanted cooking arrays.
A massive central living hall filled with comfortable seating.
A formal study.
An entertainment chamber.
Connected but separate: an indoor training arena reinforced with layered wards.
Dawnaris glanced at Llandra.
"You've built well."
Llandra smiled faintly.
"We built well."
They were shown the third floor.
Guest suites.
Spacious.
Luxurious.
"You're welcome to stay the night," Zee offered warmly.
Nyxian smirked.
"You've already done surveillance. You know it's not quiet around here."
Several Veil members coughed politely.
Vaelrith cleared his throat.
"What is on the second floor?"
Llandra answered calmly.
"The master floor."
Dawn blinked.
"The entire second floor?"
Zee nodded sweetly.
"We require the space."
Dawn's jaw lowered slightly.
A couple of the elves coughed harder this time.
Llandra lifted her chin with perfect composure.
"A true lady does not present her bedroom without proper preparation. There could be… disarray."
Bunny tilted her head innocently.
"But they're spies. Won't they see it eventually?"
Nyxian folded her arms.
"We are all adults. If they're curious about our equipment and nightly activities, I say we give them a guided tour."
That did it.
The Veil unanimously agreed they did not need to inspect the second floor.
Dawnaris looked at Llandra slowly.
A smirk formed.
One eyebrow lifted.
Llandra returned the smirk.
A small shrug of her shoulders.
My, my.
Dawn thought.
How the Princess of Etherevalis has changed.
And somehow—
She looked stronger for it.
The Commander and the Architect
Upstairs, laughter echoed faintly as the Vixens continued the tour.
Downstairs, the house grew quiet.
Jax remained in the main hall.
Vaelrith Moonshadow did as well.
The commander did not sit immediately.
He observed.
That was his nature.
Measured footsteps across polished stone. Fingers brushing lightly across carved wood. Eyes tracing the blend of design choices.
"You have built a remarkable residence," Vaelrith said at last. "Your taste is… eclectic."
The word was chosen carefully.
Not criticism.
Not praise.
Assessment.
Jax did not bristle.
He understood men like Vaelrith.
Every word carried weight.
"It isn't my house," Jax replied calmly.
Vaelrith's eyes flicked toward him.
Jax gestured subtly around them.
"Some rooms reflect elven architecture. Others reflect Bunny's sense of comfort. Zee insisted on proper spatial flow and balance." He smiled faintly. "Nyxian demanded dramatic elements."
There were demon motifs woven into certain corners. Subtle, artistic — not oppressive.
"And then," Jax finished, "there are modern adjustments inspired by my own....lands"
Vaelrith listened carefully to that.
My "lands" after a pause.
He filed it away.
"This house," Jax continued, "was not designed for dominance."
His gaze lifted.
"It was designed for belonging."
He rested a hand lightly on the back of a chair.
"This is not my house."
"It is ours."
Vaelrith studied him in silence.
He had seen the same pattern on the journey here.
Cities that blended cultures.
Markets where beastkin, elves, humans, and others traded without hierarchy.
Districts that did not erase differences — but allowed them to coexist.
It was subtle.
But deliberate.
This man did not conquer cultures.
He integrated them.
That was more dangerous than conquest.
And more powerful.
Vaelrith exhaled slowly.
He had watched Llandra grow from a determined girl into a disciplined young woman.
He felt a kind of pride an uncle feels watching a child he once guarded step into her own strength.
He looked at Jax and, for the first time since arriving, allowed warmth into his expression.
"You build well," he said quietly.
A pause.
Then he added,
"You build and blend wonderful things, Jax Darquebane."
It was not flattery.
It was acknowledgment.
And from Vaelrith Moonshadow—
It meant far more than approval.