"So... Amethiel, I heard something interesting from Johnson." Aster, Amethiel’s father, spoke as soon as Amethiel sat down.
Amethiel tensed almost immediately, his fingers pausing just above his utensils as he glanced at Johnson, who was seated at the table with them.
Because of Johnson, Amethiel had to force himself to retire early from researching Kree’s sperm sample, just to make it to dinner.
Now, usually, he could skip dinner as long as he had brunch with them, or at least showed himself once a day, but tonight was different.
Tonight, he needed to stay on his father’s good side.
Again.
"What is it, Papa?" Amethiel said, smiling innocently.
"Uh oh. Yeah, I already believe he did something bad. Amie never calls father ’Papa’ unless he does something wrong," Lilior pointed out as he took a sip of wine.
Hyacinthe snickered. "As if we needed that. The moment we heard Johnson’s complaint, I think we all already knew it was true."
"I’m right here, you know," Amethiel said, narrowing his eyes at them.
"We weren’t exactly being discreet."
"You–"
"Amie," Aster said, his tone disappointed. "How could you force Johnson to attack you? Even for you, that’s quite reckless."
Amethiel glanced at Johnson, who still wasn’t looking at him.
"I didn’t force him. Yes, I asked him to attack me, but I reasoned with him."
"Your ’reasoning’ usually involves some kind of threat," Hyacinthe pointed out, making Amethiel internally groan. "Which basically means coercion."
"Can you not join in? This is a conversation between Papa and me."
’He always does this.’ No matter how old his brothers were, they still enjoyed teasing the hell out of Amethiel.
"I’m the next head of the house and your older brother. This is a family conversation, we’re part of it," Hyacinthe shot back as he nudged Lilior. "Aren’t we?"
"Next head doesn’t mean you’re the head. Something can still happen to you," Amethiel said, narrowing his eyes.
"Scary," Lilior said with a small laugh. "See, father? The more we let Amethiel roam free, the wilder he gets."
"Dad, father, Papa... my big brothers are being mean to me!" Amethiel whined, more or less done with the teasing.
’They’re enjoying this too much,’ Amethiel grumbled in his thoughts.
Aster sighed, glancing at Hyacinthe and Lilior, who both wore faint grins.
"You’re both adults. Don’t aggravate Amie further. We’re here to talk to him."
"Yes, Father," Hyacinthe said, and Amethiel shot him a smug look.
"Of course, Father. We’re just concerned for our dear brother."
"And Amethiel, do not deflect," Aster added, his voice turning firm. "The only reason I let you keep that thing is that I thought it would be like the rest. But you have never taken a monster out of your laboratory, and you certainly never asked Johnson or anyone for assistance, let alone had them attack you for research."
"But he consented—"
"It does not matter if he did. You, or he, could have been in grave danger," Aster said.
Across the table, Johnson nodded silently, and Amethiel resisted the urge to glare at him.
"I know, Father. Really, I knew the risks. That’s why I came prepared. I even prepared to save Johnson, and I did. That was me being considerate," Amethiel said with a small huff.
"Amethiel Quartz Viremont."
The warning was immediate.
Amethiel frowned.
"Uh oh," Lilior muttered, glancing at Hyacinthe.
"He’s in real trouble now," Hyacinthe snickered.
’Very mature,’ Amethiel thought, though his chest tightened slightly.
Aster rarely used his full name.
Only when he was truly disappointed.
"Daddy," Amethiel said.
"Don’t do that. I’m speaking to you seriously, Amethiel," Aster said, crossing his arms. "I won’t take away your passion or your hobbies, but do not involve others in it, and do not keep putting yourself in harm’s way. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Amethiel said quietly, looking down as his fingers tightened around the napkin on his lap.
Amethiel usually didn’t care what anyone said.
Not even his older brothers.
But when it came to his father...
He cared.
He cared A LOT.
"I’m sorry," Amethiel whispered, his lips trembling just slightly. "I’m sorry, Father. I promise it won’t happen again."
The whole table went silent.
Dead silent.
Even his brothers, who had been enjoying the scolding just moments ago, were now just staring at him.
Aster took a slow breath. "I appreciate your genuine remorse, Amie. I know you’re clever, and I would never take this away from you. I understand your fascination with monsters. Your mother was the same. She was just as passionate."
"I know," Amethiel whispered again.
He had heard it all growing up.
He had read everything.
His mother’s documents, the records of the first monsters she helped the kingdom discover, even her personal notes.
Her diary entries.
All of it.
Just to understand who she was.
Because all Amethiel truly had of her... was her face.
"Look, uh..." Hyacinthe suddenly spoke. "If you really need a guinea pig for this new monster of yours, you can just ask Lilior and me."
Amethiel looked up at them.
Both Hyacinthe and Lilior gave him a small smile.
"Yeah, you don’t have to put our people in danger. We can handle it," Lilior added.
Aster nodded. "Use your brothers if they’re willing. Leave Johnson and the others out of it."
"I agree," Johnson said, raising his hand slightly, as if he were part of the discussion.
"Okay, Father. Okay, brothers... thank you," Amethiel said, offering a small smile.
It was subtle.
But inside—
’That worked,’ Amethiel thought.
He had felt his father’s disappointment, yes.
But not enough to lose control.
He knew exactly when to soften his voice.
When to lower his gaze.
When to look just affected enough.
If it meant getting what he wanted, he would do it.
And this time—
He did.
’Now my brothers have agreed to help me,’ Amethiel mused quietly.
"Since that has been settled, shall we eat then?" Aster said.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The maids moved quietly around the table, placing dishes one by one as if they had been waiting.
Plates were set.
Wine was poured.
The soft clink of cutlery followed soon after.
"Eat while it’s warm," Aster said, picking up his utensils.
Everyone followed.
Everyone except Amethiel, at least at first.
He stared at his plate for a second before finally beginning to eat, his movements slower than usual.
Not because he had lost his appetite, but because his mind had already drifted elsewhere.
Back to the lab.
Back to Kree.
’Its behavior seems closer to a human,’ Amethiel thought, absentmindedly cutting into his food. ’Based on what I’ve read, at least. The sample looks identical to a human’s, but I won’t be certain until...’
His brows furrowed slightly.
Hm.
Right.
Amethiel needed a comparison.
’If that’s the case, then I need a baseline.’
He took another bite without really tasting it.
Human baseline.
That was the missing variable.
’I need to see the difference,’ he thought.
Across the table, his brothers had already fallen into conversation.
"Still no sign of him?" Lilior asked, leaning back slightly.
Hyacinthe shook his head. "None. It’s like he just vanished."
"A prince doesn’t just vanish," Lilior added. "Someone has to be hiding him."
"There are rumors," Hyacinthe continued. "Some are saying he was never taken. That he left on his own."
"That’s ridiculous," Lilior scoffed. "Vaelor’s life is the envy of the ton."
"Is it?" Hyacinthe shrugged. "You know how people are, whether they’re royalty or not. He’s always been... a strange one."
Amethiel didn’t look up.
But he heard every word.
’Missing prince...’ he noted vaguely. ’So that’s why my brothers have been busy.’
It didn’t concern him.
As long as they kept their word and acted as his test subjects, it didn’t matter.
His focus returned almost immediately.
’Human sample,’ Amethiel thought again, more firmly this time. ’Where would I even get one?’
And then—
The most obvious answer surfaced.
Himself.
Amethiel paused mid-motion, his fork hovering just above his plate.
’That would be the easiest,’ he realized. ’No variables. No contamination. Direct control.’
He blinked once.
Thinking.
’I’ve never properly... done it,’ he admitted to himself. ’Only once. And that was... inconclusive.’
He hadn’t understood the appeal back then.
He still didn’t.
But this wasn’t about appeal.
This was about research.
Amethiel set his utensils down after finishing about half his food. It wasn’t even that good anyway.
"Father," he said, finally speaking up.
Aster looked at him. "Yes?"
"May I be excused?"
Aster studied him for a brief moment, then nodded. "Go ahead. Just remember what I told you."
"Thank you."
Amethiel stood up.
Before leaving, he leaned slightly toward Aster and gave him a brief hug.
"Good night, Father. Good night, brothers."
Aster patted his shoulder. "Don’t stay up too late."
"I won’t."
Amethiel pulled away and turned without another word.
His steps were quick, but his expression remained calm. His breathing stayed even. His heartbeat steady.
There was no anticipation.
If anything, there was only confusion.
’Now how am I supposed to do this?’