He laughed, the sound startling both of them. It felt good—natural and unforced. "High praise coming from my keeper."
"I'm not your keeper." Her smile faded slightly. "Just your protector."
"And my mother's spy." He kept his tone light, but her eyes widened. "Don't look so shocked, Ariel. I've always known where your primary loyalties lie."
She straightened in her chair. "My loyalties are to House Valac."
"Which means Lady Selene, since she's the true power behind our family's continued relevance." He poured himself more tea. "I don't blame you. It's a logical choice."
"You speak as if you're separate from House Valac."
Dangerous territory. He needed to backpedal without being obvious.
"Not separate. Just... clear-eyed." He leaned back, studying her. "My father chases old grudges while my mother plays the long game. And I've been playing the fool, letting everyone underestimate me. It's time for a change."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "What kind of change?"
"That depends." He smiled, letting a hint of intent show. "How do you feel about ambition, Ariel?"
"Ambition is the lifeblood of devil society." Her answer came quickly, rehearsed. "Without it, we stagnate and decline."
"A diplomatic non-answer." He chuckled. "Let me be more specific. How do you feel about my ambition? About the possibility that I might not be content with House Valac's current standing?"
She was silent for a long moment, weighing her response.
"I think," she said finally, "that House Valac has been underestimated for too long. And that you, Young Master, have far more potential than anyone realizes."
"Including my parents?"
Her lips curved into a smile that held none of her earlier warmth—this was the smile of a predator, one that reminded him she was far more than a simple maid.
"Especially your parents."
Interesting. Very interesting.
"And if I decided to stop hiding that potential?"
"Then I would continue to serve as I always have." She rose from her chair in one fluid motion. "By protecting you from threats—including the consequences of your own actions when necessary."
He laughed again. "Keeping me alive despite myself. A full-time job."
"One I excel at." She began clearing the tray, though he'd barely touched most of the food. "You should rest, Young Master. Your father has requested your presence at breakfast tomorrow. He'll want to discuss your training schedule now that you've recovered."
The mention of Lord Alexius dampened his mood. He'd need to face him soon, to play the part of his son convincingly while navigating the complicated relationship they shared.
"Ariel." He caught her wrist as she lifted the tray. "What I said before—about knowing where your loyalties lie. That wasn't an accusation. It was acknowledgment of reality."
She didn't pull away from his touch. "Reality can change, Young Master."
"Call me Dante when we're alone." He released her, noting the slight catch in her breath. "If we're going to be allies in whatever comes next, we might as well start with honesty between us."
"Is that what we are now? Allies?"
"Would you prefer something else?" He let his gaze drop briefly to her lips, then back to her eyes.
The blush returned to her cheeks, but her voice remained steady. "Allies seems an appropriate beginning, Dante."
"Good. Then as my ally, I need you to tell me something honestly."
"If I can."
"When I collapsed during training—did anything unusual happen? Besides the obvious."
She hesitated, then set the tray back down. "Your shadow... separated from your body for a moment. It stood over you like a guardian before dissolving into the air. I've never seen anything like it."
That wasn't in any of Dante's memories. "Did you tell my parents?"
"I told Lady Selene. She asked me to keep it between us."
Another piece of the puzzle. The shadow separation might have been the moment when the connection between worlds opened—when Elijah's soul found its way into Dante's body.
"Thank you for telling me."
She nodded, picking up the tray again. "Will there be anything else?"
"Not tonight." He moved to open the door for her. "Rest well, Ariel."
"And you... Dante." She paused in the doorway, her profile outlined against the light from the hallway. "Whatever happened in the void changed you. But perhaps it changed you into who you were always meant to be."
After she left, he returned to the desk and retrieved the journal. Her words echoed in his mind as he opened to a fresh page and wrote:
Who am I meant to be?
The question had never mattered in his old life. Survival hadn't left room for existential bullshit. But now, with power, resources, and knowledge at his disposal, the possibilities stretched out before him like an uncharted map.
He added another line beneath the question:
Whatever the fuck I want.
Then he closed the journal and tucked it under his mattress. Tomorrow he'd face Lord Alexius and begin the performance of a lifetime. He'd need to channel every bit of the original Dante's mannerisms while subtly introducing changes that could be attributed to his "void experience."
A delicate balance, but he'd always been good at adapting to survive.
And this time, he had magic, money, and connections on his side.