"When was the st time you took a break?" Nova asked, watching Lucius review implementation reports from the cultural reformation.

  The question seemed to confuse Lucius, who paused mid-document. "A break?"

  "Yes, a break. Time without working. Rest. Recreation." Nova leaned against the desk. "Surely in two thousand years, you've taken some time for yourself?"

  Lucius considered this with the same careful analysis he applied to governance matters. "I suppose I haven't," he finally admitted. "Not since I was human."

  Nova ughed, assuming he was joking. When Lucius's expression remained serious, the ughter died in his throat. "You can't possibly mean..."

  "I began working as a child to earn money for Eli's—Valerian's—education," Lucius said matter-of-factly. "There was never time for breaks then. After the transformation, there was too much to be done. Governance, pnning, implementation..." He shrugged slightly. "Why would I stop? The work is necessary."

  Nova stared at him, momentarily speechless. Over two thousand years without a single break. No vacations. No rest. No time purely for himself. Just endless work from childhood through millennia of vampire existence.

  "That's... not healthy," Nova finally managed.

  "I'm immortal and indestructible," Lucius replied with practical logic. "Health concerns are irrelevant."

  Nova found himself walking away before he said something inappropriate to the king of all vampires. The being who had orchestrated society's complete transformation had never once considered his own needs worthy of attention.

  Twenty minutes ter, Nova stood before the Council of Evolved, having called an emergency meeting without Lucius's knowledge.

  "He's never taken a break," Nova announced without preamble. "Not in over two thousand years. Not once."

  Valerian was the only one who didn't look surprised. "I've tried suggesting it over the centuries," he admitted. "He always responded that there was too much work to be done."

  "Well, the transformations are complete," Nova said firmly. "The implementation structures are in pce. For once in his endless existence, Lucius is going to take a vacation."

  "He'll never agree," Cassian observed.

  "He won't have a choice," Nova replied, a pn already forming. "Because we're not going to ask him."

  The Council exchanged gnces, then leaned forward as Nova outlined his strategy. By the time the meeting concluded, Operation Vacation was unanimously approved.

  Nobody—not even the king who had created their species—could argue with all eleven evolved council members acting in concert. Especially not when Nova was involved.

  After all, Lucius had loved Nova for 2000 years—1800 years before Nova was even born. The council knew that while their king might dismiss their concerns, he could deny Nova nothing. The being who had waited millennia for Nova's arrival was powerless against his wishes, even if Lucius himself didn't fully recognize this truth yet.