_*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5">The soft electric lighting illuminated Duke Maximilian's private dining room as the grandfather clock in the corner struck nine in the evening. Three pce settings adorned the polished mahogany table—one for the Duke, one for his consort, and one for his senior advisor. The advisor, a thin vampire with spectacles that matched Maximilian's own unnecessary pair, had arrived precisely on time, as he had for every weekly status meeting for the past forty-three years.

  Maximilian adjusted his gsses nervously, gncing at Elias who sat opposite him. They had been married for nearly a month, yet these formal dinners remained an exercise in awkwardness.

  "The quarterly resource figures show continued stability in our blood production," the advisor said, sliding a leather-bound ledger across the table. Though Maximilian's territory used digital technology behind closed doors, they maintained traditional appearances for formal meetings, especially with a consort from Archduke Orlov's court present. "The sustainable practices you implemented decades ago continue to serve us well."

  "Sustainability was always the logical approach," Maximilian said, reaching for his blood-wine. "Though Count Ashcroft's recent refinements to the methodology have been quite informative."

  The advisor's eyebrow arched. "Ashcroft? That... progressive? I wasn't aware you maintained such connections."

  "His research is sound," Maximilian replied, his fingers tapping nervously against the stem of his gss. "Regardless of political affiliations."

  A servant entered silently, uncorking a fresh bottle of blood-wine—a particurly excellent vintage from the northern territories. The deep crimson liquid pooled in each gss, its distinctive aroma filling the room. The advisor lifted his gss, inhaling appreciatively before turning his attention to Elias.

  "Lord Elias," he began, his tone deceptively casual. "I find myself curious about your background. A young noble of twenty-one years in Archduke Orlov's court, yet I know remarkably little about you."

  Elias took a small sip of blood-wine, the picture of aristocratic composure. "There's remarkably little to know. I'm hardly the most significant figure in Orlov's court."

  "And yet significant enough to be sent as consort to a Duke in Archduke Lucius's territory." The advisor leaned forward, pcing his forearms on the table. "Quite the honor for someone so... unremarkable."

  Maximilian shifted uncomfortably, adjusting his gsses again. "Perhaps we could discuss territory matters instead—"

  "It's quite alright, Max," Elias said, using the informal name that still made Maximilian blink in surprise when used in front of others. "Curiosity is natural when allies join houses."

  The use of "allies" rather than "political arrangements" wasn't lost on the advisor, whose eyes narrowed slightly.

  "Indeed. So tell me, Lord Elias, about your lineage. Your mother is Lady Viktoriya, correct? A minor noble in Orlov's eastern territory?"

  "Yes," Elias replied. He cut a small piece of the rare steak on his pte—a necessity for him unlike other vampires who consumed only blood. This alone drew the advisor's scrutinizing gaze. "Though she had little interest in me after my birth."

  "And your father?"

  Elias pced his silverware down with precise movements. "Unknown. At least to me. My mother made a blood oath stating he was a vampire noble, but refused to name him. The court had its theories, of course."

  "Most irregur," the advisor noted, eyes fixed on Elias's pte. "As is your... consumption habits. Most peculiar for a vampire to require solid sustenance."

  Maximilian's hand tensed around his gss, but Elias simply nodded.

  "A birth defect, they called it. I was tested as an infant when I showed symptoms of blood deficiency despite proper feeding. The doctors discovered my physiology requires both blood and food—quite the scandal." Elias's voice remained steady, though a faint tenseness appeared around his eyes. "They tested for human-vampire hybridization but found no evidence. I was simply... fwed."

  The advisor's lips curled slightly. "How unfortunate."

  "Quite. My mother refused to acknowledge me after the diagnosis. I was raised by servants, kept my title only because no one bothered to officially strip it." Elias took another bite of his food, his movements graceful despite the growing tension. "I became something of an oddity in court—decorative and occasionally useful at formal functions, but otherwise ignored. My education was... practically nonexistent. Barely any court etiquette, just enough to know when to smile and where to stand without embarrassing anyone. Nothing substantial."

  "And yet here you are," the advisor said, swirling his blood-wine with calcuted disinterest. "Consort to a Duke in Archduke Lucius's progressive territory. Quite the elevation for someone with your... peculiarities."

  Maximilian cleared his throat, the sound unnaturally loud in the tense atmosphere. "I find Lord Elias's unique perspective quite valuable, actually."

  The advisor's eyebrow arched higher. "Indeed? In what capacity, Your Grace?"

  "He notices things others miss," Maximilian said, adjusting his gsses again. "And asks questions about my collections that I hadn't considered. Questions that have led to several breakthroughs in preservation techniques."

  "How fascinating," the advisor said, his tone suggesting the opposite. "And what are your impressions of Duke Maximilian's territory, Lord Elias? I imagine being sent here from Archduke Orlov's traditional court must have been quite the adjustment."

  Elias's smile remained perfectly in pce. "Different worlds entirely. The first time I saw these lights that glow without fme, I nearly gasped aloud. In Orlov's court, we use only candles and oil mps—here, there are these miraculous devices everywhere. The honesty about these... innovations is refreshing."

  Something in his voice made the crystal decanter on the table vibrate slightly. The advisor gnced at it with narrowed eyes.

  "And what of your... abilities?" he asked, leaning forward. "Are there other unusual traits beyond your dietary requirements?"

  The decanter's vibration intensified.

  "I'm not certain what you mean," Elias said, his voice perfectly level though his eyes had darkened slightly.

  "I've heard rumors of certain rare bloodlines exhibiting unusual talents. Particurly those with... questionable parentage."

  The decanter cracked with a sharp sound, a thin line appearing down its side as blood-wine began to seep slowly onto the white tablecloth. The spreading stain looked almost bck under the electric lights.

  The butler, who had been standing unobtrusively against the wall, moved forward with practiced efficiency. "My apologies for the defective gssware, Your Grace," he said, his face betraying nothing as he began cleaning up the spill with precise, economical movements.

  "Fascinating timing," the advisor murmured, eyes fixed on Elias.

  Maximilian pced his napkin down with unexpected force. "I believe we're finished discussing Lord Elias's background. He is my consort, legally bound and recognized by Archduke Lucius himself. His past in Archduke Orlov's court is precisely that—the past."

  The advisor blinked, clearly taken aback by the Duke's uncharacteristic firmness.

  "My consort's unusual attributes are a blessing, not a fw," Maximilian continued, surprising even Elias with his vehemence. "His ability to appreciate human food has already improved our resource farm cuisine standards, which has reduced illness rates by 12% this quarter alone."

  "I merely sought to understand—" the advisor began.

  "No," Maximilian interrupted, again shocking everyone present. The schorly vampire rarely contradicted his advisor. "You sought to find weaknesses. To catalog differences. To report back whether Archduke Orlov sent us a defective gift." His voice grew quieter but more intense. "Lord Elias is not a specimen for your assessment. He is my consort."

  The silence that followed was absolute. The butler continued his cleaning with methodical care, his expression betraying nothing despite the unprecedented scene unfolding before him.

  Finally, the advisor inclined his head slightly. "As you wish, Your Grace. No offense was intended."

  "None taken," Elias said smoothly, though his eyes held new warmth when they shifted to Maximilian. "I understand curiosity. After all, I'm quite curious myself about many things here. Perhaps next time we could discuss the fascinating reforms Duke Maximilian has implemented in the blood farms? I found his education initiatives particurly innovative."

  The skillful redirection worked. The conversation reluctantly shifted to territory matters, though the advisor's calcuting gaze returned to Elias periodically throughout the remainder of the evening.

  Later, when the advisor had departed and the servants had withdrawn, Elias found Maximilian in his study, already buried in an ancient text as if seeking refuge from the uncomfortable social interaction.

  "Thank you," Elias said simply from the doorway.

  Maximilian gnced up, blinking as if surprised to find he wasn't alone. "For what?"

  "Defending me. You didn't have to do that."

  "He was being deliberately provocative," Maximilian replied, adjusting his gsses. "And factually inaccurate. Your condition isn't a fw—it's simply a variation. Quite fascinating, actually, from a biological perspective."

  Elias smiled, a genuine expression unlike his perfect court mask. "Still. Thank you."

  Maximilian nodded awkwardly, then gestured to the book before him. "I found something about simir cases in historical records. Extremely rare, but documented. Would you... like to see?"

  Something warm unfurled in Elias's chest, surprising in its intensity. No one had ever researched his condition out of genuine interest rather than to catalog his deficiencies.

  "I would," he said, moving into the warmly lit study. "Very much."

  And for the first time since arriving at Duke Maximilian's territory, Elias completely forgot about his mission to spy for Archduke Orlov.