Chapter 223 — Shadow Foxes

Chapter 223: Chapter 223 — Shadow Foxes

Chapter 223 — Shadow Foxes

Victor stared at the two Shadow Foxes walking behind Alex.

Before he could stop himself, the words slipped out.

"Shadow Foxes?"

Zack turned toward him.

"What did you say?"

Victor immediately realized his mistake. He’d been so stunned by their sudden appearance that he’d spoken without thinking.

"I, uh..." Victor paused. "I said Shadow Foxes."

Zack stared at him.

"How do you know what Shadow Foxes are?"

Victor went silent.

Crap.

He hadn’t expected that.

Then again, he hadn’t expected to randomly find two Shadow Foxes walking through the Graveborn estate either.

And if his suspicions were right... 𝔣𝖗ⅇℯ

He had just found Lyra’s parents.

Victor needed an explanation.

"Back at the Ashcroft estate, outside the Tower, we had a library with some very ancient knowledge. There wasn’t much about Shadow Foxes, but I remember reading a little about them."

Victor gestured subtly toward the pair.

"Their ears, tails, purple eyes... things like that. But the records also said they were extinct, so I never thought I’d actually see one in person. I’ve always been curious about them."

Zack slowly nodded.

"That makes sense."

Victor waited.

"They are extinct," Zack continued. "And these two are extremely rare. Nobody even knows exactly where they came from."

His eyes lingered on Victor for another moment.

"I’m surprised you knew about them."

Victor kept his expression neutral.

What interested him wasn’t Zack’s suspicion. It was the fact that Zack hadn’t needed Victor to explain what a Shadow Fox was.

He already knew.

Eventually, Zack shook his head.

"Doesn’t matter. What do you think? Ready to go?"

"Yeah, I’m ready."

Victor paused.

"But give me a second. I need to speak with Alex real quick. Privately."

Zack looked at him for a moment before nodding.

"No worries. I’ll head down the hall."

He pointed ahead.

"Follow this bend, turn left, then keep going down that hallway. The main entrance is basically right there. I’ll wait for you."

"Thanks, Zack."

"No worries, man."

Zack continued down the hallway.

Victor stayed behind.

Alex had stepped into one of the nearby rooms, leaving the two Shadow Foxes waiting outside.

Victor didn’t move immediately. He watched Zack’s back disappear farther down the hall.

Finally, Zack rounded the bend.

Victor turned toward the pair.

He had no idea when Alex would come back, so he needed to be quick.

"Excuse me."

Both Shadow Foxes looked toward him.

Up close, there was no longer any doubt.

Victor had seen their faces before.

In fragments of memories carried through their Soul Bond.

Victor lowered his voice.

"I’m about to say something, but both of you need to stay calm when I say it."

Their expressions changed slightly, but neither answered.

"I’m serious. What I’m about to tell you is probably going to shock you, but you need to do everything you can to keep your composure."

Victor looked between them.

"Do you understand? Just nod."

The male Shadow Fox slowly nodded.

"Good."

Victor glanced toward the door Alex had entered before looking back at them.

"I know who you are."

Both of them stiffened.

"And there’s a reason for that."

Victor paused.

"Your names are Valkor and Sierra."

Their expressions immediately changed.

They stared at him.

They had never given those names to the humans who’d captured them. As far as the people here were concerned, they were simply Shadow Foxes.

Valkor’s purple eyes narrowed.

"How do you know our names?"

"I’ll explain."

Victor took a breath.

"I know your daughter."

Neither moved.

"Lyra."

The reaction was immediate.

Valkor’s entire expression twisted. For a split second, pure fury flashed across his face.

His muscles tensed, and his hands curled at his sides, every instinct seemingly screaming at him to tear apart the human standing in front of him.

Victor had expected it.

"Control yourself."

Valkor’s jaw clenched.

For several seconds, he looked ready to explode. Then, slowly, he forced himself back under control.

"I’m not your enemy," Victor said quietly. "Quite the opposite."

Valkor continued staring at him.

"Lyra and I are companions. We’re very good friends."

Neither Shadow Fox spoke.

"You’d be happy to know the woman she’s turning into is everything you could’ve hoped for."

Victor couldn’t help smiling slightly.

"She’s stubborn. Rude sometimes."

Something shifted in Valkor’s expression.

"But she also has a very big heart."

Victor glanced toward the door again.

"I don’t have much time. Just know that I’ll come back. I’ll get both of you out of here."

Valkor stared at him.

"What do you mean? How are you going to get us out?"

His eyes narrowed.

"And how do you know Lyra?"

Victor gave a quiet laugh.

"That’s an extremely long story, and we definitely don’t have time for it."

He looked between them.

"But your daughter misses you both very, very much."

Sierra broke.

Tears filled her eyes. She tried to hold them back, but after all these years, simply hearing those words was too much.

Even Valkor’s expression cracked. His eyes glistened as he fought to keep himself under control.

"She never forgot either of you," Victor continued. "Her main goal has always been getting stronger so she could find you one day. It’s practically been the only thing she’s cared about."

Sierra covered her mouth, suppressing the sound of her crying.

Victor hesitated, then smiled.

"And there’s something else that’s probably going to surprise you."

Valkor looked at him.

"Lyra broke through to the Beast Soldier Realm."

Valkor’s eyes widened.

"That’s impossible."

The response came instantly.

"No Shadow Fox has broken through to Beast Soldier in the last seven thousand years. What are you talking about?"

Victor almost laughed.

"That’s another very long story."

His eyes moved toward the door.

"And we don’t have time to get into it."

Victor looked at both of them seriously.

"I know trusting a human is probably almost impossible for you, especially after everything you’ve been through."

Neither denied it.

"But please have hope."

Victor’s voice softened.

"You’ll be reunited with your daughter very soon."

Sierra’s tears continued falling.

Valkor simply stared at Victor, his expression caught somewhere between disbelief and desperate hope.

"And—"

The door opened.

Alex stepped into the hallway.

His eyes moved from Victor to the two Shadow Foxes, and his expression darkened.

"Victor, what are you doing speaking to my slaves?"

Victor turned toward him.

My slaves.

So they belonged to Alex.

Of all people.

His eyes sharpened.

"If I want to speak to your slaves, I’ll do whatever I want."

Spiritual Energy surged from Victor’s body.

Rank Two Spirit Gathering pressure rolled through the hallway.

Alex stiffened.

"Your father told me I couldn’t kill you."

Victor took a step toward him.

"But that doesn’t mean I can’t teach you a lesson whenever I want."

Their eyes met.

"So watch your mouth."

Alex’s face twisted with anger.

Victor didn’t care.

He turned back toward Valkor and Sierra.

"I hope to see both of you again very soon."

He smiled.

The two Shadow Foxes could only stare at him.

They clearly didn’t completely believe him.

Why would they?

A human they’d never met had suddenly walked up to them, spoken their real names, mentioned the daughter they’d lost years ago, and promised to free them.

But there was something in their eyes now that hadn’t been there before.

Hope.

Maybe their daughter really was alive.

Maybe she hadn’t forgotten them.

Maybe, after all these years, they would see her again.

Victor turned away without giving Alex another word.

Alex stood behind him, anger written across his face, but he didn’t try to stop him.

Right now, Alex was no match for Victor.

And he knew it.

Victor continued down the hallway and rounded the corner.

Then he stopped.

At the far end of the hall, he caught sight of Zack moving quickly toward the exit.

Victor’s eyes narrowed.

Was he listening?

He couldn’t tell.

Victor had spent several minutes speaking with the Shadow Foxes. Zack should’ve had plenty of time to reach the entrance already.

Yet Victor had just caught him leaving the hallway.

Zack also knew what Shadow Foxes were.

Victor watched him disappear around the next corner.

For months, Zack had been one of the few people in the Tower Victor genuinely considered a friend.

That hadn’t changed.

But something about today felt wrong.

Victor shook his head.

Victor continued down the hallway toward Zack.