Icarus didn’t know whether to laugh or to ask again for confirmation despite the truth hanging in front of him.

“Is he lying? Briar, tell me that he is.” Scoffing bitterly, Icarus gritted his teeth to subdue his irritation brought by the sorcerer more than the thought of Briar jumping into a marriage built on a new relationship. If he had to blame someone, he would pin it on the sorcerer rather than on Briar. He knew his best friend was naïve, too kind for a world where corruption was budding as fast as flowers in spring.

“No, I’m not lying,” Castriel responded calmly, shooting the nephilim a smile. His hand was still around Briar, refusing to let go as he noticed the young man’s legs wobble when he entered the garden. He should’ve known better than to let Briar be in the presence of the man who broke his heart enough to see love as a troublesome experience. “You can ask him yourself, but I think Briar is too tired to entertain your questions, Mr. Lir. If you’ll excuse us, he and I have yet to eat dinner.”

Turning his back on Icarus’ astonished expression, Briar figured that was the end of it. Icarus was to be wed on his birthday, the day creeping up faster than the frost could on surfaces. They had to part ways; it was for the best for Icarus. And Briar has Castriel. He won’t be lonely unlike before.

Yes, this is for the best. Briar hummed to himself, about to step into the house with Castriel when a hand latched itself around his wrist. No intention of letting go or having him leave. Blinking, Briar faced Icarus who has determination written all over his face. Burning brightly in those jade eyes.

“No. I have to speak with Briar.” Chills slid down his back as Castriel regarded him with a smile too nice to be comforting. In fact, there was something about the intruder that Icarus couldn’t point his finger on. All he knew was that he had to wake Briar up from a disaster about to happen if he were to marry the sorcerer. “You can’t marry a man you barely know—especially when you’ve just met and spent time with for a month! Even the fact you went off with him willingly rubbed me the wrong way. How could you be so naïve, Briar? That man might be using you for selfish gains!”

Unable to keep his lips shut at the words thrown at him, Briar glanced at Icarus with equal indignation. It was unfair of him to suddenly show up out of the blue, uninvited, and accused him of being too stupid to realize his decisions were ‘wrong’ by Icarus’ standards. There was nothing wrong with Castriel and he won’t take back his decision to agree to the marriage. He could barely feel any regret when his life was nearing the end of a string. To hear him getting chastised, especially by the man he loves, brought a flood of emotions bottled up the moment the nephilim spoke his mind.

“So, what if I marry Castriel? I can hardly see any reason why I shouldn’t and why it concerns you.” Stepping in front of the sorcerer, Briar narrowed his blue hues mirroring the night sky, yet void of stars. “Weren’t you the person who decided to walk away when I poured my heart out? Saying you never loved me. Why are you here? Have you come to torment me when you’re supposed to be far away?” Throat hurting as he yelled, Briar’s hand massaged his neck as he cleared his voice. Tears formed in his eyes as he ignored Castriel’s suggestion to go back inside. “Do you realize how much you’ve hurt me? I would have been fine if you decided to apologize for your harsh words, but the second you know I’m engaged, you decide to ridicule me?”

Flinching at the unexpected retaliation coming from Briar, Icarus couldn’t help but question whether he was the boy he fell in love with all those years ago. Yet, the edge of his lips curled up at how Briar managed to speak up this time. He has always been quiet, refraining from expressing his thoughts, and usually went with the flow of life. However, today that all changed. Icarus sighed, hands on his hips as he shook his head. Even if Briar managed to voice out his emotions, he used them to defend the stranger next to him.

“I… was wrong.” Icarus softly admitted, eyes trained on the grass below his feet. Helpless at the young man’s truthful statement, the nephilim was vulnerable due to his mistakes. He never meant to let Briar go, abiding by his mother’s will was all he could think of to please her. But with how she was forcing all her ideals and plans down his throat, Icarus has had enough of it. He was a fool, and now it is practically too late for Briar has found the man he wanted to marry. What was even more frustrating, it wasn’t him. “I never intended to reject you all those times. You know my mother, Briar… She wouldn’t let this go. And I was afraid that she might take it out on you.”

Briar knew this, always have and he couldn’t blame Icarus for having such a parent. Family matters were important and he knew not to stick his nose into something he wasn’t a part of. To see Icarus suffering under his mother’s constant watch pained the young man, even to the point he was close to telling Icarus to forget about them and be part of his family instead. Selfish wishes they were.

And, at the end of the day, they are his blood relatives while I have no such bond with him. I would have a face thicker than the trees that cover up the mountains to suggest he leaves his family… I don’t want him to lose them for the sake of my love.

It’s not right.

But, before Briar could even tell him that he was not to blame for such circumstances, Castriel spoke.

“Is your love for Briar that shallow?”

His question stunned Briar, rendering him speechless. It invoked annoyance from Icarus, shooting daggers at the sorcerer who decided to make himself known once more.

“What are you trying to say? That I don’t love Briar as much as you?” Icarus demanded, pupils in slits as he barred his teeth at the composed museum curator. “You speak of love and grand affection to Briar, but do you really love him as you have promised? Be honest, did you fall in love with Briar or his looks?”

Stop it…

“You can’t give your family up for Briar, that alone speaks how much you don’t care about how he feels. Your mother has been harassing your friend for years in numerous ways and yet you don’t fight back… You claim to love him more than I do, but you won’t be able to stand up for yourself and Briar.” Shielding the young man behind his back, Castriel crossed his arms as he stood straight. “If you truly love him, you wouldn’t be here pathetically defending yourself.”

Please stop it!

“Shut up!” Icarus closed in on the sorcerer who evaded him quickly, leading him away from Briar whose eyes were tearing up at the scene in front of him. “You don’t know me and what I’ve been through to keep Briar safe. I’ve been doing everything I can to keep my mother’s wrath away from him. Even if they treat me poorly, they are the only family I have!”

“This wouldn’t be blown out of proportion if you kept your word, Mr. Lir.” Castriel exhaled, shaking his head at the furious nephilim. “You may not be able to sacrifice your family, but if I were in your position, I will do so in a heartbeat—just to keep my word.”

No…

Having caught wind of the heated argument, Lady Margareth finally came with hurried steps. “What is going on here?!” She demanded, shifting her gaze from the nonchalant Castriel to the angry Icarus. Once her eyes landed on her frozen nephew, she exclaimed in shock. “Briar! What’s the matter?” Touching the young man’s arm, she too felt how icy his skin has become. Realizing what has transpired, she snapped. “Shame on you both! Fighting in front of Briar and acting like children!”

Lady Margareth shot both of the men glares before leading her nephew inside. Briar couldn’t speak a word, sweat rolling down his forehead at the disastrous exchange. If he knew this would be the outcome, he wished he never brought Castriel back home. Or if he knew Icarus was waiting for him, he wouldn’t have returned at all. Icarus calling his name fell on deaf ears as he was led away to his room.

Rubbing his temples, Icarus exhaled deeply and then stared at the sorcerer who stood still. Castriel, too, was ashamed of his actions. But all these thoughts of how to ask for forgiveness from the Solentine family dissipated for a moment as the two exchanged gazes.

Icarus was the first to speak, anger in his words. “I know what you are. You may fool Briar into thinking you’re some sorcerer who is managing a museum… But I know better than to believe that farce—not when you reek of dark magic and an aura unspeakable even in this world.”

Castriel’s eyes went cold, refusing to break away from the nephilim’s fiery ones that gave insight into the brewing rage he kept within. This was the first time someone pointed out his aura, let alone say he emitted dark magic. Lips curled up in interest, the sorcerer bowed mockingly at the nephilim.

“Good day, Mr. Lir.”

༻❈༺

“Briar, my boy…” Lady Margareth sighed for the hundredth time of the day as Briar refused to leave his bed. Opting to bask under the gentle sunlight streaming into his window and rolling on the soft mattress, it was no wonder he didn’t want to get out. Not when last night’s event kept resurfacing in his head, filling his mind with depressing thoughts.

That was also the first time he saw Castriel deliberately taunting someone. He never imagined seeing it one day, let alone having him taunt Icarus of all people. However, what struck him were the words exchanged and how they must have hurt Icarus more than he displayed. To be attacked and made vulnerable, Icarus was sure to have a sleepless night.

Sighing, Briar sat up and face his aunt with a monotonous facial expression. Dark circles were evident under his eyes as he kept tossing and turning the entire night. Mind unable to find a way to have the two men apologize to one another and fix the situation he got into. After all, while he may be engaged to Castriel and love him, he can’t deny he still held affection for the nephilim.

He doesn’t want to get married when the other held ill feelings. But the task to have the two become friends, let alone hold a civilized conversation, appeared to be a daunting goal. Icarus and Castriel obviously dislike one another.

And there is Icarus who admitted he never wanted to part ways with Briar in the first place.

“What am I supposed to do…?” Briar drawled in exhaustion, paying no heed to the searing stare his aunt bore his head with. “I love Castriel, but I also still like Icarus despite him breaking my heart. But then he says he never wanted to hurt me… I’m so confused now. What am I going to do?”

“It’s obvious what you must do, my boy.” Lady Margareth sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching out to pat Briar’s head. “Who do you love most between those two eligible bachelors? Castriel or Icarus?”

At the question which was supposed to provide an answer by narrowing down the clear truth, it left Briar even more baffled. Who did he love most? Castriel or Icarus? His new love or the old one? He couldn’t tell.

Seeing how bewildered he is, Lady Margareth grabbed her own cup of tea Kingsley brewed for her and Briar. “Why don’t you try out this new occurrence in the kingdom? The harem system, if I must be specific. I heard there are plenty of individuals who have signed up for it since last month. Maybe this will solve your problems.”

“Harem, what?” Intrigued, Briar turned to his aunt with a glint in his eyes. “Harem… system?”

Lady Margareth nodded, grinning.

“Yes, the harem system, my boy.” Finally capturing her nephew’s attention, she perked up and set her cup on the nightstand. “If you can’t decide, why don’t you marry both of them? It is indeed possible once you’re under this new law.”

Briar’s eyes went wide at the information. Was there such a thing? And what did his aunt say? He can marry Castriel Persimore and Icarus Lir? All at once?! Is that even possible?

“Marry Castriel and Icarus… at the same time?!”