Chapter 201: Is she sulking?

Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Is she sulking?

"Baby. Open your mouth."

Sira looked at her mother.

Then opened immediately.

Soren went still.

Kael looked away to hide his smile.

Swanly gave Soren a smug look.

He said nothing.

His pride was injured enough.

Soren leaned closer.

Tiny fangs had pushed fully through Sira’s gums.

Not little bumps anymore.

Actual narrow white fangs.

Small.

Sharp.

Dangerous.

Soren touched one carefully.

Sira tried to bite him.

He pulled his finger back before she could.

His silver eyes narrowed.

"Again."

Sira smiled.

Sweetly.

Soren looked toward Eira.

The elder twin had not moved.

She sat against Kairo’s leg, quietly watching everything with those unnervingly calm silver eyes.

"Eira."

Her head turned immediately.

"Come."

Kairo scooped her up before she could move.

"I’ll bring her."

Soren stared at him.

Kairo approached proudly with his baby sister held against his little chest.

Swanly smiled.

Her eldest had completely accepted his position.

Guard.

Carrier.

Assistant.

Victim.

Eira allowed herself to be carried until Soren reached for her.

Then she grabbed Kairo’s tunic.

Kairo looked down.

"Eira?"

Eira looked at Soren.

Then pressed herself harder against Kairo.

Kairo’s face melted.

"She wants me."

Soren’s expression became cold.

"She is avoiding an examination."

Kairo immediately became serious again.

"Oh."

He looked down at Eira.

"Open your mouth."

Eira stared at him.

Kairo stared back.

For a few seconds the two simply looked at each other.

Then Eira opened.

Soren’s eyes narrowed again.

Her fangs were almost exactly as developed as Sira’s.

Too developed.

He had expected them to grow quickly.

Not this quickly.

Swanly saw the shift in his face.

"How bad?"

"Not bad."

"You’re doing that thing."

"What thing?"

"The thing where you say something calm because you don’t want everyone else panicking."

Soren looked at her.

Kael folded his arms.

"She knows you too well."

Soren ignored him.

"Their venom is strengthening faster than I expected."

Everyone went quiet.

The Riverbone male looked at Sira.

Sira smiled at him.

He took one step backward.

With the arm that still worked.

Miko finally escaped Nilo’s hold.

He pointed proudly at his sisters.

"My thithters are powerful."

Nilo caught the back of his tunic and pulled him right back.

"You are not going closer."

"I know!"

"You were going closer."

"I wath going a little closer."

Nilo tightened his hold.

"No."

Miko sighed.

Nilo looked toward Soren.

"Will he be okay?"

That was Nilo.

Always the one who watched the person everyone else forgot.

Soren glanced toward the bitten male.

"Yes."

The man exhaled.

Then Soren added:

"If Sira cooperates."

The man stopped exhaling.

Slowly, every head turned toward Sira.

Sira blinked.

"Miwk?"

Swanly stared.

"No, you cannot have milk right now."

"Miwk."

"You almost paralyzed somebody."

"Miwk."

Soren’s tail slid forward.

He gently lifted his daughter out of Swanly’s arms.

Sira immediately protested.

"M’ma!"

"You can return to Mama when you fix what you did."

"M’ma!"

"No."

Sira’s lower lip pushed out.

Swanly’s chest physically hurt.

"Oh..."

Soren looked at her.

"No."

"I didn’t say anything."

"You were about to."

"She looks sad."

"She is manipulating you."

Sira turned toward Swanly.

"M’ma..."

Her voice went tiny.

Pitiful.

Swanly grabbed her own chest.

Kael muttered:

"She is good."

Soren looked disgusted with all of them.

"You are why she behaves like this."

Swanly pointed at him.

"She came from you too."

"Exactly. Which is why I recognize the tactic."

That shut Swanly up.

Fair.

Soren sat Sira on his thigh.

Then held out the bitten man’s hand.

"Neutralize it."

Sira looked at the man.

The smile disappeared.

Completely.

Her silver eyes narrowed.

The man visibly paled.

Swanly blinked.

"Sira."

The baby looked at her.

"Do not glare at him. You bit him."

Sira turned back.

Still glaring.

The Riverbone male looked at Soren.

"Does she dislike me?"

"Yes."

"What did I do?"

"You existed near her finger."

"That seems unfair."

"It is."

Soren gently pressed beneath Sira’s jaw.

She immediately tried turning away.

"No."

"Sira."

Her pale little tail slapped his leg.

Soren caught it without looking.

"Do not start."

The baby glared.

Then her tiny mouth opened.

Soren touched the base of one fang.

A clear droplet slowly formed.

Different from the venom.

Thicker.

Milky.

Swanly leaned closer.

"What is that?"

"Neutralizing secretion."

"You can do that too?"

"Yes."

"Why have you never mentioned that?"

"You have never been paralyzed by me."

Swanly stared.

That sentence had too many possible meanings.

Kael’s black ears flattened.

"Soren."

Soren looked at him.

Kael’s eyes narrowed.

"Choose your next words carefully."

Swanly elbowed Kael.

"Stop."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Soren’s mouth.

He collected the droplet on the tip of a smooth bone sliver.

Then rubbed it carefully over the fang marks on the male’s finger.

Nothing happened.

The man swallowed.

Sira leaned back against Soren and crossed her tiny arms.

Actually crossed them.

Swanly stared.

"Is she sulking?"

"Yes."

"She’s weeks old."

"Yes."

"How does she already know how to sulk?"

Soren looked smug.

"Intelligence."

Kael’s head turned.

There it was.

Soren had been waiting.

Kael narrowed his eyes.

"Say it."

Soren calmly adjusted Sira on his thigh.

"My daughters are advanced."

Kael’s tail flicked.

"My sons were moving around long before this age."

"Panthers need the advantage."

Swanly closed her eyes.

Here we go.

Kael stepped closer.

"Kairo could climb before he could properly speak."

Soren glanced at Kairo.

Kairo immediately puffed his chest.

Soren nodded.

"He also climbed into danger."

Kairo’s chest slowly deflated.

Miko whispered:

"That wath me too."

Nilo whispered:

"Do not help him."

Soren continued.

"My daughters already understand venom control."

Kael scoffed.

"One of them just paralyzed a man."

Soren looked at Sira.

"She is learning."

The Riverbone male raised his working hand.

"I would prefer she learn faster."

Swanly burst out laughing.

Even Kael’s mouth twitched.

Then the bitten male suddenly gasped.

His fingers moved.

Everyone looked.

He flexed them.

Once.

Twice.

His arm jerked.

Feeling returned.

Slowly.

The man’s eyes widened.

"It’s coming back."

Swanly exhaled.

"Thank God."

Soren nodded.

"Move your fingers."

...

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