Then Ashford Patriarch's voice emerged, carrying confusion mixed with something sharper.
"Vice Director Felix."
His grey eyes narrowed, studying the younger man's face.
"Don't tell me you're foolish enough to intervene in Imperial business? Why would you possibly–"
Kinsley's laughter cut through Ashford's words, the sound bright and genuinely amused.
"Oh, Brother Ashford."
His blue eyes gleamed with understanding.
"Haven't you figured it out yet? The nature of a human being truly cannot be hidden, no matter how hard they try to bury it."
He looked at Felix directly, his smile becoming warmer.
"The moment we appeared here today, I knew little Felix would come. I've been counting on it, in fact."
His head tilted slightly, the gesture birdlike.
"Let me guess…"
He paused, letting the tension build.
"You've already sent your remaining family to safety, haven't you? Evacuated them to some secure location where they'll be protected from what happens next?"
