She looked at Damian directly, trying to read his expression and failing.
"You have to understand, all the families are closely tied to each other for survival. Even though there are differences and conflicts, it would never go that far. Especially not with the patriarchs involved. They were all there when humanity nearly fell, when we had to build everything from nothing. They led us through that darkness together."
Damian stood up suddenly, his chair scraping against the floor.
He walked around the table to where Alaric sat, reached for the Phoenix bottle, and poured himself a glass.
Then he drank it down in one smooth motion, his throat working as the alcohol burned its way down.
Alaric watched him silently, his mind racing.
'Here it comes… The breakdown or the explosion or whatever he's been holding back.'
Damian set the glass down and looked at Alaric.
The silence stretched.
Then he… smiled.
