Cior's home was as grand and intimidating as the rumors suggested, with an elegant but slightly eerie vibe. The boys stood outside the massive double doors, all feeling various levels of unease.
"We must be prepared," Cior had warned them before they arrived.
"Prepared for what? Is he secretly the devil? I mean, his nickname in the kingdom is Duke of Dark for a reason," Mateo said, leaning against the wall, trying to sound casual but clearly nervous.
"I'm perfect, so I already know he's going to like me," Arven said with his signature overconfidence, running a hand through his hair.
"Overconfidence kills," Cior shot back, rolling her eyes.
Amaias, as composed as always, added calmly, "We should just focus on being respectful and acting wisely. This is her father we're meeting, not some random noble."
"Relax, guys," Ziven said with a lazy grin. "CEE CEE's dad can't be that bad, right? He's probably just like her—quirky, a little scary, but harmless."
Cior groaned and muttered, "You'll see," before pushing open the doors and stepping in alone.
Inside, Kieran was lounging in a ridiculously large, throne-like chair. He wore a wide grin, his carefree demeanor completely at odds with his imposing surroundings. His white hair gleamed in the sunlight streaming through the tall windows, and his sharp blue eyes sparkled with mischief as he looked up.
"Well, if it isn't my little troublemaker," he said, his voice full of playful energy.
Cior sighed and crossed her arms. "I'm fine, Dad. But we need to talk."
Kieran tilted his head, feigning curiosity. "Ooooh, are you finally confessing that you've been sneaking sweets from the pantry? Because I've known that for years."
"No!" Cior snapped, cheeks flushing slightly. "It's about the guys outside."
Kieran smirked knowingly. "What, the fact that they know your secret? Because I already figured that out."
Cior's jaw dropped. "What?! How do you always know everything?!"
"Simple," Kieran said with a shrug, grinning like a child caught with candy. "I'm amazing."
"You're impossible," she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Do you have spies on me or something?"
Kieran leaned forward, his grin widening. "Nah, just a father's intuition. Plus, you're not exactly subtle, sweetie."
Cior threw her hands up dramatically. "Fine! Since you know everything, do you want to meet them or not?"
"Absolutely," Kieran said, standing up and stretching. "Let's see which one I'll have to intimidate the most."
Cior turned to the door, exasperated. "Come in, guys!"
The doors creaked open, and the boys stepped in one by one, their reactions as unique as their personalities.
Amaias was the first. Ever composed, he bowed deeply and spoke with calm respect. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. Thank you for allowing us into your home."
Kieran raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Ooooh, so polite. I like you. You might survive this meeting."
Next was Mateo, who walked in with his usual confident but slightly sarcastic attitude. "Nice place you've got here. Very, uh, dramatic. Guess I know where Cior gets her flair for the dramatic now."
Kieran smirked, clearly entertained. "You've got a sharp tongue. Let's hope you've got the brains to match."
Ziven practically burst into the room, grinning from ear to ear. "Hey there, Duke of Dark! Or should I call you Dad of Chaos? Got any embarrassing stories about Cior to share?"
Kieran laughed, genuinely amused. "Bold. Very bold. You're going to make my day, aren't you?"
Finally, Arven sauntered in, radiating confidence. "I'm Arven. It's clear where Cior gets her charm and good looks." He gave a winning smile, clearly aiming to impress.
Kieran leaned back, looking him up and down. "Confidence, huh? Let's hope it's not all hot air."
Cior stood off to the side, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Well, here they are, Dad. My... friends."
Kieran clapped his hands together, looking far too excited. "Oh, this is going to be fun. You've got quite the lineup here, troublemaker."
"Don't make this weird, Dad," Cior warned, glaring at him.
"Who, me?" Kieran said, feigning innocence, though the glint in his eyes said otherwise. "Never."
Cior had barely disappeared into the kitchen when all the boys turned their pleading eyes toward her, silently begging her not to leave them alone with her father.
She, of course, ignored their looks completely. "Good luck," she muttered with a smirk as she slipped away.
The room fell silent for a moment. Then Kieran leaned back in his chair, folding his arms and regarding the boys with a lazy grin that only made them more nervous.
"So, now that my daughter is out of earshot," he began, his voice light but carrying a dangerous undertone, "let's have a real conversation, shall we?"
The boys exchanged nervous glances.
"Yes, Duke... uh, say whatever you want," Ziven said, trying to keep his usual carefree demeanor, but his grin was a little too forced.
Kieran's blue eyes sparkled mischievously. "Which of you geniuses likes my precious troublemaker?"
The question hit like a lightning bolt. All four of them froze, looking anywhere but at Kieran. But slowly—almost sheepishly—they each raised their hand.
Kieran let out a dramatic sigh, rubbing his temple as if they were already giving him a headache. "This is disappointing. Truly. I had such high hopes for you lot."
"Sir, we care about her," Amaias said, his voice steady despite the tension.
"She deserves someone who can make her happy," Ziven added, his usual grin faltering but still present.
"I can keep her happy," Arven said, his confidence somehow intact.
Kieran looked at him, unimpressed. "Everyone says that."
"But we must be given a chance," Amaias insisted, his respectful tone unwavering.
Kieran leaned forward, his smile widening but losing none of its edge. "Listen carefully, boys. She is off-limits. Got it? You're all going to have to deal with a little heartbreak because if you value your lives, you'll back off now."
"Off-limits?" Mateo finally spoke, his voice laced with sarcasm to mask his discomfort. "Then what's the point of inviting us here if you're just going to crush our spirits?"
Kieran smirked at him. "Oh, I'm just having fun. You lot have already crossed so many lines that I've generously chosen to ignore. Consider this your only warning."
"But—" Ziven started, only to be cut off by Kieran's sharp glare.
"No buts," Kieran said, his voice suddenly firm. "You think you can handle her? I've raised that girl. She's smarter than you, tougher than you, and has been through things you wouldn't believe. Do you know what happens if you fail her?" He leaned back again, his grin returning but with a cold edge. "I'd have to... step in."
The boys collectively swallowed, the weight of his words settling over them.
Cior returned a moment later, carrying a tray of snacks, completely oblivious to the tension in the room. "What's with the gloomy faces? Dad, you didn't scare them, did you?"
"Who, me?" Kieran said, his carefree tone back in full force. "Never. We were just having a nice chat about how wonderful you are."
Cior raised a suspicious brow, setting the tray down. "Riiiight. What did I miss?"
"Nothing important," Mateo said quickly, avoiding her gaze.
"Yeah, totally nothing," Ziven chimed in, forcing a grin.
"Uh-huh," Cior said, clearly not buying it but too tired to press further. "Well, eat up. I didn't cook for nothing."
As they dug into the food, Kieran leaned over to Amaias and whispered just loud enough for the rest to hear, "And remember, boys—off-limits."
Cior shot him a look. "What did you just say?"
"Nothing, darling," Kieran said with a mischievous grin, popping a snack into his mouth. "Just reminding them to behave themselves."
The evening meal was already awkward enough with Kieran sitting at the head of the table, radiating his usual chaotic energy, but when Cior strolled in, now in her girl form, the tension reached a new level.
Cior took one look at her friends, who all seemed to be avoiding eye contact with her dad, and sighed. "My useless dad," she said, sitting down and crossing her arms. "What did you say to make my friends look gloomier than a newly widowed widow?"
Kieran grinned innocently, swirling his glass of wine. "Oh, nothing much. Just a little friendly talk about boundaries. At least I didn't break anyone's legs like I did to that boy who messed with you when you were 13."
The boys collectively stiffened.
Cior groaned, planting her face into her palm. "Dad, that's not a good thing. I've told you a thousand times, I'm not interested in love or relationships right now, but that doesn't mean you have to terrify every friend I bring home!"
"Where's the fun in that, sweet cupcake?" Kieran said, his grin widening.
She scowled at the nickname. "Life's about fun, sure, but not at the expense of scaring off my friends. Idiots—" she looked pointedly at the boys, "—if he said anything too much, just forget it. He's all bark and no bite."
"That's a lie," Mateo muttered, staring at his plate. "He said he broke a guy's legs when you were 13."
"That boy deserved it!" Kieran said defensively, waving his fork in the air. "He insulted my daughter! Nobody gets away with that."
"See?" Mateo shot back, his eyes wide. "That's definitely bite, not bark."
"Whatever," Cior said, shaking her head. "Just... Dad, try to behave for once. Please."
"Of course, darling," Kieran said sweetly, giving her a wink. "For you, I'll be the picture of restraint."
Cior rolled her eyes, muttering, "That'll be the day."
The boys exchanged wary glances but nodded along. They weren't about to risk testing Kieran's "restraint."