Chapter 218: You are not climbing the prince

Chapter 218: Chapter 218: You are not climbing the prince

"You’re ticklish."

"I am not!"

His thumb moved.

Swanly squealed.

A real squeal.

She slapped a hand over her mouth.

Soren stared.

Then smiled.

Not the tiny smug curve.

A real smile.

Swanly’s face burned.

"Don’t."

Too late.

His fingers attacked.

Swanly exploded.

"SO-REN!"

She twisted.

His tail tightened around her waist so she could not escape.

"Let go!"

"No."

"You bastard!"

She was laughing too hard to sound threatening.

He tickled the bottom of her foot again.

Swanly kicked.

Nearly caught him in the shoulder.

Soren dodged.

"Violent."

"YOU STARTED IT!"

Another touch.

Swanly shrieked with laughter.

Eira stirred nearby.

Sira lifted her head sleepily.

Both babies stared.

Soren stopped instantly.

Swanly lay across his tail breathing hard, cheeks red, silver hair everywhere.

Sira blinked.

"Mama?"

Swanly pointed at Soren.

"Bad Pa."

Sira’s eyes widened.

Then she nodded.

"Bad Pa."

Soren slowly looked toward his daughter.

Swanly buried her face in his shoulder to stop laughing again.

Eira opened one eye.

"Bad."

Soren closed his eyes.

"This family has no loyalty."

Swanly laughed quietly against him.

His arm came around her.

This time she did not move away.

For a few breaths, the Heart beneath Ironwood almost disappeared from her mind.

Almost.

...

The System appeared the next morning.

Swanly had taken the twins outside.

The boys were eating nearby.

Soren was speaking with Raku far enough away that Swanly felt safe calling her irritating golden parasite.

"System."

Pop.

Golden wings.

Tiny offended face.

"You could sound happier to see me."

"Scan my daughters."

The System deflated.

"No greeting?"

"Scan."

"You have become very transactional."

"System."

"Fine."

Visible golden light passed over Eira.

Then Sira.

Both babies immediately tried grabbing it.

"Hands down," Swanly said.

Sira grabbed anyway.

The light passed through her fingers.

She gasped.

"Shiny."

The System stared at her.

"I like this one."

Swanly pointed.

"Do not choose favorites."

"Scanning."

A panel appeared.

Then flickered.

Then vanished.

Swanly frowned.

"Well?"

"Nothing conclusive."

"What does that mean?"

"It means nothing conclusive."

"I hate you."

"Mutual affection acknowledged."

"Scan the ground."

The fairy looked down.

Then at Swanly.

"You are not near the point of interest."

"I am not going there yet."

"Then I cannot scan deeply enough."

"Soren is already looking at me like he thinks I’m planning something."

"You usually are."

"That is irrelevant."

Swanly glanced across the path.

Soren was still talking to Raku.

But his eyes moved toward her.

Immediately.

Swanly looked away.

"See?"

System nodded.

"He absolutely suspects you."

"Shut up."

Golden scan light spread over the soil.

Nothing.

The System sighed.

"I need you closer to the oldest underground region."

Swanly stared.

"You want me to walk closer to the sleeping ancient monster?"

"Technically, we don’t know whether it is a monster."

Swanly gave it a dead look.

"That makes me feel SO much better."

"You’re welcome."

"That was sarcasm."

"I know."

Swanly looked toward the old stone area.

Not now.

"No."

"Then later."

"Later."

The System nodded.

"And quietly."

Swanly looked back.

"What?"

"No crowd. No dramatic announcement. No gathering twenty warriors around the seal."

"I know that already"

The System’s voice became more serious.

"Energy. Bloodline. movement. The twins. You. Soren. Something else."

Swanly’s eyes narrowed.

"So don’t attract attention."

"Exactly."

"Fine."

She looked at Eira and Sira.

Both were fighting over a strip of hide.

Actually, fighting was generous.

Sira was fighting.

Eira simply held it out of reach with one hand.

Sira crawled over her.

Eira moved it.

Sira crawled again.

Eira moved it again.

Swanly stared.

Completely normal.

Terrifying Heart-recognized babies.

Completely normal.

...

That afternoon, Eira stole Kairo’s sleeping place.

Kairo returned from washing his hands and stopped.

His hide was occupied.

Eira lay in the exact center.

Flat on her back.

Comfortable.

Kairo stared.

"Eira."

She looked at him.

"That is my place."

Nothing.

"I sleep there."

Eira blinked.

Kairo pointed.

"Move."

Eira turned her face away.

Kairo looked at Swanly.

"Mama."

Swanly was sorting herbs.

"I heard."

"What do I do?"

"Tell her."

"I did."

"Tell her again."

Kairo looked back.

"Eira."

No response.

He sighed.

Then lay down beside her.

Half on the floor.

Swanly stared.

"Kairo."

"She’s little."

Hopeless eldest brother.

Nearby, Sira had discovered Miko’s dried fruit.

She stared.

Miko stared back.

"No."

Sira smiled.

"No."

Sweeter smile.

Miko moved the fruit farther away.

Sira crawled closer.

"Miko."

He froze.

She rarely said his whole name clearly.

"Miko."

He swallowed.

"No."

Sira smiled.

Five breaths.

Ten.

Miko broke.

"Fine."

He tore the fruit in half.

"Half."

Sira took it.

Nilo looked up from the water bowl he was arranging.

"They just frightened everyone yesterday."

Kairo sighed from the floor.

"They do not care."

Miko watched Sira eat his fruit.

"I think they enjoyed it."

Eira immediately said:

"No."

Silence.

Everyone turned.

Eira remained lying in Kairo’s sleeping place.

Swanly slowly narrowed her eyes.

"You understood that?"

Eira stared.

"No."

Miko pointed.

"She enjoyed it."

Nilo nodded.

"She definitely did."

Eira closed her eyes.

Conversation over.

...

Later, Swanly waited until the twins were fed.

The boys occupied.

Soren elsewhere.

Kael checking a damaged platform.

Perfect.

She slipped toward the quieter western side.

The System hovered invisibly beside her.

Swanly had both girls against her hips because every attempt to leave them behind had ended in protest.

"Quiet," she whispered.

Eira blinked.

Sira whispered loudly:

"Quiet!"

Swanly winced.

"That defeats the purpose."

Then a voice drifted from above.

"Going somewhere, little fox?"

Swanly froze.

Of course.

She looked up.

Azren hung upside down from a tree outside the boundary.

Again.

Swanly immediately lifted one finger to her lips.

"Shh."

Azren’s brows rose.

Swanly narrowed her eyes.

"Do not."

He smiled.

"Your ears are adorable when you’re sneaking."

She closed her eyes.

"Azren."

"What?"

"Shut up."

"Such cruelty."

He swung slightly.

Then asked casually:

"What would it take to convince you to mate with me?"

Swanly’s eyes snapped open.

"WHAT?"

Sira clapped.

Eira stared.

Swanly lowered her voice violently.

"Do not ask me that!"

"Why?"

"Because I said no!"

"I know."

"Then why are you asking again?"

"I like updated information."

"My answer has not updated!"

"Hm."

Azren looked her over.

Not crudely.

Worse.

Appreciatively.

His pale-violet eyes stopped on her tail.

"I like that."

Swanly grabbed her tail.

"What?"

"The way it gets puffier when you’re angry."

Her tail immediately puffed.

Azren smiled.

"See?"

Swanly stared.

"Stop studying my body!"

Azren’s smile widened.

"That sounds much worse when you say it."

Swanly nearly threw something.

Then Sira saw his wings.

Everything else disappeared.

"Win’!"

Eira’s eyes widened.

"Pre’tty."

Azren looked delighted.

"At least somebody appreciates me."

He spread all six wings.

Color moved through the translucent veins.

Violet.

Blue.

Silver beneath sunlight.

The twins leaned out of Swanly’s arms.

"Win’!"

"Pre’tty."

"No."

Swanly pulled them closer.

"You are not climbing the prince."

Azren:

"I would allow it."

"No."

Sira reached.

"Az."

Azren froze.

His hand touched his heart.

"She knows me."

Swanly looked offended.

Azren laughed.