What do you think you're doing, Amanda?"
Zayden peeled her arms off him with a growl. The sound was low, dangerous. Even Caspian flinched at the coldness in it.
Zayden noticed.
For half a second, his expression softened. He turned to Caspian, caught his hand, and gave it a light squeeze. "Go to the dining table. I have something to talk with her. Okay?"
Caspian saw the effort in it—the attempt to keep him calm. He nodded, though his heart didn't want to.
Zayden didn't wait. He grabbed Amanda's wrist and dragged her toward the guest room.
Caspian stayed rooted. He watched their joined hands and felt something ugly and sharp twist in his chest. His fingers fidgeted at his sides, anxiety burning under his skin.
_Who is she? Why did she hug him like that? She called him 'darling'. What does that mean? When do you call someone that?_
He was still lost in the questions when Mrs. Gable stepped out of the kitchen. She spotted him standing alone, staring at the guest room door.
"Young master," she called, voice gentle.
The sound pulled him out of his head. He turned—and that was when Mrs. Gable first saw his eyes. Light blue. Unmistakable.
She froze, breath catching. "No wonder," she whispered. "A blue omega."
Caspian blinked. The old woman stood there, mouth half open, completely stunned.
Marcus entered right behind her, took one look at Caspian's nervous face, and moved fast. He stepped behind Mrs. Gable and gently closed her mouth.
"Sorry about that," he said to Caspian. "She's old. Sometimes she forgets how to control her emotions."
"Who are you calling old?" Mrs. Gable swatted at him. "One foot's already in the grave, and you've got the audacity to call _me_ old?"
Caspian couldn't help it. A small smile slipped out at their bickering.
Mrs. Gable caught it. Her eyes lit up. "Oh my, what a beauty!"
She surged forward. Caspian took a step back, startled, but she grabbed his arm gently and started pulling him toward the table.
"Come, come. Dinner's getting cold."
He didn't protest. She pulled out a chair and settled him in, then began serving, pointing to each dish. "So, which one do you want?"
Caspian stared at the spread. He'd never seen this much food in his life. His fingers fidgeted again.
Mrs. Gable noticed. "You don't know their names, do you?"
Caspian shook his head.
"Alright then, just point, and I'll put it on your plate."
He pointed at two dishes. Mrs. Gable ignored him and filled his plate with everything, scolding as she went. "Look at you—only wanting two dishes? How will you grow up like that? Eat this, and this, and this. You need to get strong and grow up quickly."
Caspian watched her, curious. Then he asked his first real question.
"If I eat all of this… will I get strong like Zay?"
Mrs. Gable blinked. "Huh? Who's Zay?"
Then she clapped her hands. "Oh! You mean my Zayden?"
Caspian murmured his full name under his breath.
Mrs. Gable nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, yeah. He was too weak when I first met him. I had to force-feed him and scold him until he ate properly. Look at him now—strong as an ox!"
Caspian's eyes widened. "Really?"
He started asking more questions, and Mrs. Gable answered every one, delighted to have someone listen.
Marcus shook his head from across the room. "Oh God," he muttered to the ceiling. "Only you can save us now." Then he got outside for another round to maintain security.
After a while, Mrs. Gable patted Caspian's hand. "Young master, I have to go. You finish everything, alright?"
Caspian nodded. She left, and once again he was alone at the long dining table.
He glanced toward the guest room. Zayden was still in there.
Caspian turned back to his food and started eating slowly.
Sometimes, loneliness was the best company he had.
---
[Meanwhile At the Guest Room]
Zayden shut the door with a quiet click. "I won't ask again. Why did you come?"
"Because I missed you, of course?" Amanda said, too sweetly.
"Can you shut up?" Zayden snapped. "Don't test my patience, Amanda."
Amanda glared. "Why is that omega in your palace? Do you even know who he is?"
"That's none of your business. Stay away from him."
Zayden turned to leave, but her next words stopped him.
"Do you really think uncle will let you marry someone else omega?'
Zayden turned around fast. "What do you mean, 'someone else omega'? I saw him. He isn't mark."
"What are you talking about, Zayden?" she hissed. "Are you out of your mind? How could he be marked? He ran away from the wedding."
Zayden's heart thumped. "From who?"
"Silas Dragos."
The name hung in the air like a blade.
Zayden frowned. "Who's Silas? Have I met him before?"
Amanda stared at him like he'd lost his mind. "Are you serious?" She laughed, mocking. "Silas Dragos—the man you caught smuggling omegas years ago? You fought him."
Memory clicked. Zayden's eyes flashed dark red, anger flaring hot and fast.
"That old geezer? How dare he?"
Amanda blinked. That wasn't the reaction she expected. She thought Zayden would walk away from Caspian.
Instead, Zayden was already striding for the door, fury burning in every step.He got out of the the room and slammed the door shut behind him.
---