Chapter 549: Priorities
By the time Arion finished explaining everything Matthias had told him, Dean had stopped pretending to read the document open on his tablet.
Theodore was asleep across his chest, one cheek pressed against the soft fabric of Dean’s dark-blue sweater while a tiny hand rested beneath his chin. The fire had burned low enough that the family sitting room was mostly illuminated by the lamps beside the sofa, and outside the tall windows, November rain streaked across the glass in narrow silver lines.
Dean remained quiet for several seconds.
Arion knew that expression.
His mate was organizing the information into categories, separating what was immediately dangerous from what was merely horrifying and ancient.
"There is something older than Matthias," Dean finally said.
"Yes."
"Possibly older than Dominic."
"Yes."
"Sleeping somewhere in the northern forest where even the elders refuse to go."
"That is approximately all we know."
Dean glanced toward him.
"And your first thought was to investigate it?"
Arion leaned back in the armchair opposite the sofa.
"I did not say that."
"You came home with three preliminary maps."
"They were already available."
"You asked Hendrik to compare old territorial surveys."
"That is called preparation."
Dean stared at him.
Arion sighed.
"The thing may be connected to the original infection."
"It may also be an extremely old infected person who wants everyone to leave him alone."
"That is possible."
"Or a beast."
"Yes."
"Or something nobody currently understands."
Arion nodded.
Dean looked down when Theo shifted against him, waiting until the baby settled again before adjusting the blanket over his back.
"Then leave it there."
Arion frowned.
"For now?"
"For a long time."
"How long?"
Dean looked almost offended by the question.
"A year. Two years. However long it takes until everything else is stable."
Arion stared at him.
"You want to wait two years before investigating a possible origin point of the corruption?"
"I want you to remember that the possible origin point has apparently survived hundreds of years without climbing out of the forest and introducing itself."
"That does not mean it is harmless."
"No. It means it is not urgent."
Dean shifted slightly on the sofa, careful not to wake Theo.
"Your urgent problem is the people already awake."
Arion went quiet.
"The elders want out," Dean continued. "You know that now. Matthias wants a normal life. Elias wants his family. There are dozens of people in that forest who may still remember who they were, and we do not know how many can safely be restored."
His gaze dropped briefly toward Theodore.
"You also have a child who has recently decided that sleeping anywhere except on one of us is an insult, an empire that continues to expect its crown prince to work, and a father who will absolutely dump another committee on your desk if you appear to have spare time."
Arion’s mouth twitched.
"That last part is true."
"Then do your main duty first."
"Which one?"
"The one directly in front of you."
Dean’s expression softened.
"Get the knights out. Find out whether restoration is safe for the older ones. Help the people who can actually be helped now, establish whatever system is needed for the beasts, and make sure the forest does not collapse the moment the elders leave."
He raised one shoulder carefully beneath Theo.
"After that, when Victor has stopped having medical seizures every time you discover a new biological function, and Hendrik has enough information to enter the north without threatening to blow up half the district, then you can investigate your ancient sleeping nightmare."
Arion smiled.
"You make it sound simple."
"It is simple."
"It is not."
"The order is."
That, unfortunately, was difficult to argue with.
Arion looked toward the dark windows.
He had been thinking about the oldest infected since Matthias mentioned him, mentally assembling possibilities despite having almost no evidence to support any of them. A source. A first carrier. Something connected to Dominic’s bloodline. Something older than the imperial records.
Dean was right.
None of those possibilities required Arion to walk north next week.
The people waiting to be restored did.
"What if it wakes before then?"
Dean shrugged.
"Then it becomes urgent."
Arion laughed quietly.
Theo stirred at the sound, his face scrunching briefly before he burrowed closer into Dean’s chest.
Dean immediately lowered his voice.
"Until then, let the ancient thing sleep."
Arion rose from the armchair and crossed to the sofa, sat beside them, and slipped one arm around Dean’s shoulders.
"You are disturbingly reasonable tonight."
"I am always reasonable."
"No."
Dean leaned into him.
"Ask Matthias."
Arion did the next morning.
Not intentionally.
Matthias was already in Arion’s office with Elias and Hendrik when the subject returned, standing near the central display. At the same time, Hunter reviewed possible staging areas for the first controlled group of elder restorations.
Arion had removed every northern exploration request from the schedule.
Matthias noticed.
"You are not investigating the old one."
"Not yet."
The older man’s eyebrows lifted.
"I expected you to."
"So did Dean."
That earned his full attention.
Arion enlarged the proposed medical perimeter instead.
"He pointed out that something capable of sleeping there for centuries can probably continue doing so for another year or two while we deal with the people currently asking for help."
Matthias stared at him.
Elias slowly smiled.
Hendrik continued reading his tablet, although the corner of his mouth moved.
Arion looked toward Matthias.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"That expression suggests otherwise."
Matthias folded his arms.
"I like your mate."
"You already liked him."
"I like him more now."
Arion sighed.
Matthias’s amusement deepened.
"Dominic would have ordered an expedition by sunset."
"That does not improve Dominic in my estimation."
"No."
Matthias looked toward the map of the forest, then at the medical zones marked along its southern edge.
"But Dean is right."
Arion gave him a flat look.
"You sound much too pleased about that."
"I spent nearly a century waiting for someone to prioritize the people already suffering before chasing whatever mystery created us."
That removed most of Arion’s irritation.
Matthias tapped one finger against the display where the first elder recovery point had been marked.
"This can come first."
Arion nodded.
"Yes."
"And the ancient one waits."
"For as long as necessary."
Matthias smiled.
"Your mate has excellent instincts."
Arion thought of Dean at home with Theo asleep across him, running half the practical responsibilities of the crown consort from a sofa while officially on maternity leave.
"I know."
Matthias glanced toward Elias.
"And he complains beautifully."
Arion looked at him.
Matthias immediately returned his attention to the map.
Apparently, liking Dean more had not improved his survival instincts.