Gabriel joined the group, leaning back slightly and taking in the familiar faces. The air around him was charged with a tension he hadn't fully expected—though he'd known these men in his past, the weight of his current reality made it feel like they were strangers. His memories, fragmented as they were, didn't do him any favors. But his wit? That he could count on.
Felix leaned in with a grin. "Gabriel, are you still avoiding the spotlight? Evander's already locking things down with Lady Abalone. Quite the move, don't you think?"
Gabriel raised an eyebrow, stifling a smirk. "Evander always knew how to play the game," he said in a light tone tinged with indifference. "Strategic, if anything else."
Nicolas, who had been quietly observing, leaned forward and lightly touched Gabriel's shoulder, his fingers grazing the fabric of his robe as he spoke. "A strategic alliance, indeed. But what is the point if they do not like each other?" he asked, his voice calm but amused.
