Gabriel sighed like a man burdened personally by the gods. "Next time, keep it out of the public eye. Preferably on the training modules."
For one suspended second, silence held.
Then Rafael turned his head very slowly toward him. "I'm sorry?"
Gabriel lifted his glass again with perfect elegance. "I said next time."
Natalie blinked once.
Cecil, who had been standing in that unnerving imperial stillness of his a little behind the older cluster, looked abruptly interested in the floor. Which meant, Rafael knew, that he was hiding amusement. Frederik did not even bother with that much courtesy and straight up grinned.
Arik, the traitor at the center of all this, actually looked as though he had been struck twice.
Rafael stared at Gabriel in disbelief. "That is your response?"
Gabriel gave him a cool glance. "Would you prefer I waste time scolding her for having accurate instincts?"
