Syn sat back in his chair. “C’mon, Maris, can’t you reach him?”

“I’ve tried. Believe me. He won’t listen to me any more than he’ll let you operate on him. The last time I suggested he let you finish with his surgeries, he tore my head off. In fact, the last words I got out of him were that he was fine with looking like a twisted, monster freak. He said it was time the world saw what they’d made of him, or something creepy like that.”

Hauk frowned. “You think maybe his mother could talk—”

“Don’t even go there, bud,” Syn said, cutting him off.

Maris agreed. “I wouldn’t put it past him to gut her at this point. He hates her almost as much as he hated Arturo. When Lise forced her to come visit a few weeks ago, I had to stop him from shooting her in the reception room. Seriously.”

Guilt stabbed Maris at the memory. He’d been the one who’d stupidly talked Darling into meeting with her instead of sending her back into exile at the Summer Palace.

Maris had cornered Darling in his office. “Look, Darling, my mother won’t even acknowledge the fact that I was ever born. I’m told she was the one who burned my birth registration on my wedding night. I know you two have had a bad past, but still… she made the effort to be here. The least you could do is spend five minutes with her. You can’t repair the relationship unless you’re both willing to give something. C’mon, Dar. I’d do anything if my mother would visit me. Allow yours a chance to redeem herself.”

Darling was right. He was a naïve asshole.

As soon as Darling had entered the reception room where his mother had waited, she’d curled her lip in revulsion of his appearance. Her first words to the son she hadn’t spoken directly to in more than four years? The same son who’d been lost to them for half a year and who’d almost died?

“You should consider abdicating in favor of Drakari. I know he’s still too young to rule, but with your support the CDS might be swayed to accept him early. And make sure when you speak to them that you cover up that face so that it doesn’t sicken anyone.”

She’d actually shuddered as she held her hand up in front of her face so that she wouldn’t have to look directly at Darling. “You’re so hideous. Even if you were straight, there would be no chance of marriage or children now. No one in their right mind would touch you. So, for once in your selfish life, be decent and let your brother have the inheritance he deserves. Maybe he can finally redeem the family name before you destroy it even more than Arturo did. The people need a hero to follow, not some grotesque, effete egotist.”

Bellowing in rage, Darling had pulled his blaster out to shoot her. Luckily, Maris had stopped him, but in the scuffle, Darling had almost shot him.