Chapter 204: It has begun

Chapter 204: Chapter 204: It has begun

No tears.

Eira was screaming.

No tears.

Not one.

Swanly slowly narrowed her eyes.

Sira peeked up.

Saw Swanly looking.

Immediately squeezed her eyes shut again.

"WAAAAAH!"

Eira copied.

Soren raised one brow.

Swanly stared.

"Oh, please."

Both girls stopped for half a second.

Swanly pointed at them.

"You’re faking."

Sira immediately resumed.

"WAAAA..."

Swanly’s face went flat.

"No."

Silence.

Eira opened one eye.

Swanly shook her head.

"At this point, you’re just bullying your father."

Soren looked smug.

The twins saw.

Their little faces darkened.

Soren leaned toward Swanly again.

This time his arm went around her waist.

Slow.

Deliberate.

His cool body settled beside hers.

The babies immediately reached for his hand.

Soren caught both tiny wrists with one hand.

"No."

Sira gasped.

Eira glared.

Soren ignored them.

He looked at Swanly.

"May I?"

Swanly knew what he meant.

Not her waist.

Closer.

Her heart started beating differently.

She swallowed.

Then nodded.

Soren leaned in.

His forehead touched hers first.

Cool skin.

White hair sliding over her shoulder.

His tail curled loosely behind her, not trapping, just surrounding.

Swanly could feel Kael nearby, but Kael did not interfere.

Soren’s silver eyes searched hers.

"You keep expecting me to take something."

The softness of his voice surprised her.

Swanly looked away.

"I know."

"I won’t."

Her ears lowered slightly.

"I know that too."

"Then why are you afraid of me?"

That landed.

Swanly’s fingers curled in the front of his clothing.

"I’m not afraid of you."

Soren waited.

She sighed.

"I don’t know how to be comfortable yet."

His expression did not change, but his thumb moved slowly over her side.

"Then we go slowly."

Simple.

No complaint.

No pressure.

Swanly looked back at him.

Something in her chest loosened.

She leaned first.

Just enough for her nose to brush his.

Soren went completely still.

Then Swanly kissed him.

Soft.

Brief.

Her choice.

When she pulled back, Soren was looking at her as though she had just handed him something precious.

Swanly’s face heated.

"Don’t look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like..."

She could not explain.

Soren’s mouth curved.

He kissed her forehead instead.

Then her temple.

Swanly relaxed against him.

And that was exactly when Sira bit his sleeve.

Soren slowly looked down.

Sira was hanging from it with her tiny fangs.

Eira was helping by pulling.

Swanly burst out laughing.

The intimate moment died instantly.

Soren closed his eyes.

"My daughters hate happiness."

Kael spoke without looking up.

"Your daughters hate you touching their mother."

Soren’s eyes opened.

Kael finally looked over.

A smug panther smile appeared.

"How unfortunate."

Soren’s tail lashed.

Swanly laughed harder.

Nerin arrived carrying a basket of moonberries, herbs and fresh spring water.

Of course.

He stopped when he saw Swanly tucked partly against Soren.

His silver deer ears flicked.

Then lowered.

Very slightly.

Swanly noticed.

Nerin immediately smiled anyway.

"I brought the herbs Nahla asked for."

Swanly held out her hand.

"You could sit with us instead of delivering things and escaping."

Nerin’s ears turned pink.

"I wasn’t escaping."

"You were already turning around."

He looked down at his feet.

He had, in fact, been turning around.

"I thought you were busy."

Soren looked at him.

Nerin’s ears became redder.

Swanly sighed.

"Come here."

He came.

Immediately.

That was almost embarrassing.

Kael noticed.

Soren definitely noticed.

Nerin crouched beside the hide and began sorting berries to avoid looking at anyone.

Eira saw the fruit.

Her head turned.

Nerin immediately picked the ripest berry.

"For you?"

Swanly laughed.

"She cannot eat that yet."

Nerin froze.

"Oh."

His face fell.

Swanly softened.

"But you can let her smell it."

Nerin brightened instantly.

He held it near Eira.

Eira sniffed.

Her silver eyes widened.

"Bery."

Nerin froze.

Swanly froze.

Kairo gasped.

Nerin looked like he might cry.

"She said..."

"Bery," Eira repeated.

Nerin’s ears went completely red.

Swanly grinned.

"She likes your fruit."

Nerin looked absurdly happy.

Soren stared at him.

Kael stared too.

Nerin suddenly became aware of both males.

His joy collapsed.

"I can leave."

Swanly grabbed the back of his wrist.

"No."

He sat back down immediately.

Soren’s brow rose.

Swanly ignored him.

Nerin quietly smiled at Eira again.

"Berry."

"Bery."

His heart left his body.

Swanly could practically see it.

...

By nightfall, Ironwood finally settled.

Fires dimmed.

Children stopped running.

Guards moved quietly along the walls.

The Veskari camp outside had gone mostly silent.

Swanly slept with Eira and Sira close beside her.

Kael lay on the other side of the shelter.

Soren rested nearer the entrance in his humanoid form, white tail curled loosely across the floor.

The triplets slept together in a pile.

Kairo on his back.

Nilo curled toward him.

Miko somehow horizontal across both brothers.

Normal.

Then Eira’s eyes opened.

No cry.

No hunger.

Nothing.

Her silver eyes simply opened.

Beside her, Sira did the same.

At exactly the same time.

Swanly remained asleep.

Eira lifted her head.

Sira turned hers.

Both faced the same direction.

North.

Toward the oldest part of Ironwood.

Toward the sealed ground.

Their tiny tails went completely still.

Soren’s eyes opened.

He did not move.

He watched them.

Eira whispered:

"Down."

Sira’s smile disappeared.

"Down."

Outside, Druun woke.

His enormous eyes opened in the darkness.

He sat up.

Farther away, Thalara’s central purple eye snapped open.

Nerin jerked awake in his shelter.

Pain shot through his broken antler.

He grabbed it.

"Ah!"

The ground trembled.

Once.

Deep.

So deep it did not sound like thunder.

It sounded like something enormous turning in its sleep.

THOOM.

Every shelter in Ironwood shook.

Swanly’s eyes flew open.

Kael sat up.

The triplets woke screaming.

Soren was already standing.

Outside the boundary, every Veskari rose at once.

Six-winged silhouettes filled the trees.

Ground-Hoof warriors stamped against trembling earth.

Lyssara stood at the edge of their camp, staring toward Ironwood.

Her face had gone pale.

Then she whispered:

"It has begun."

...

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