Chapter 278: One of my warning markers has been moved

Chapter 278: Chapter 278: One of my warning markers has been moved

Nerin hesitated only a moment.

Then leaned toward her.

Swanly wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

He held her carefully, mindful of her injuries.

His forehead rested against her shoulder.

For a while, neither spoke.

Then he whispered, "I was scared when you went underground."

Swanly closed her eyes.

"I know."

"I kept listening for you."

Her arms tightened.

"And when I couldn’t hear anything anymore..."

His voice cracked.

Swanly rubbed his back.

"I’m sorry."

He pulled back slightly.

"You don’t have to apologize to me."

"Yes, I do."

She touched his cheek.

"You were frightened too."

His green eyes softened.

Swanly leaned forward and kissed his forehead.

Very gently.

Nerin froze.

Then slowly closed his eyes.

When she pulled back, his ears were bright red.

Swanly grinned.

"There. Feel better?"

He nodded.

"A little."

"Good."

She stood.

Nerin immediately rose with her.

"Careful."

Swanly rolled her eyes.

"You’re all becoming impossible."

He smiled.

Then, after a moment, asked quietly, "Will you really invite me again?"

Swanly stared at him.

"Nerin."

"Yes?"

"If you don’t come tomorrow, I’m sending Miko to drag you here."

Nerin laughed.

A proper laugh.

And Swanly decided she liked that sound very much.

As she turned toward the doorway, he caught her hand.

She looked back.

Nerin hesitated.

Then whispered, "Thank you for wanting me there."

Swanly’s heart squeezed.

She squeezed his fingers.

"Always, silly deer."

Nerin did not return directly to his shelter.

He had promised Tovan that he would check the condition of the newly installed pathway markers before sleeping.

It was a simple task.

No underground sensing.

No dangerous exploration.

Just a quick inspection from the repaired walkway.

He carried a small lantern and followed the western service path.

His antler ached faintly beneath the bandage, but the pain was manageable.

At the first junction, the green wooden marker stood exactly where he had placed it.

The second was also undisturbed.

Then he reached the turn near the old sealed passage.

And stopped.

His smile disappeared.

The third marker was wrong.

Nerin slowly lowered his lantern.

The green marker that should have pointed toward the safe eastern walkway had been moved.

It now faced the narrow path leading toward an old, forbidden section of Ironwood.

A section Soren had ordered sealed after the underground attack.

Nerin frowned.

"That isn’t right."

He remembered placing that marker himself.

He had even carved a small notch beneath it so Tovan would recognize his work.

Now the notch faced the wrong direction.

He looked toward the nearby beams.

The red warning marker was missing.

Then he spotted it.

Lying behind a support, partly covered by leaves.

Someone had moved both.

Nerin’s ears slowly rose.

For a moment, he considered stepping forward to examine the dirt.

Then he remembered the underground tunnels.

The pain in his antler.

And Swanly’s voice.

You do so much for us.

His fingers tightened around the lantern.

He stepped backward.

No.

He was not going to investigate another dangerous passage alone.

Not tonight.

Instead, he turned and headed straight toward the western guard post.

Raku was there, examining a damaged spear with two warriors.

He looked up when Nerin approached.

"Deer."

Nerin stopped.

"Commander, I found something."

Raku’s reptilian eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"One of my warning markers has been moved."

Raku set down the spear.

"Moved where?"

"Toward the sealed western passage."

The crocodile became very still.

Nerin continued.

"The red danger marker was taken down too. Someone hid it behind a beam."

Raku’s tail slowly moved across the ground.

"Did you go inside?"

"No."

Raku looked at him for a moment.

Then nodded.

"Good."

Nerin blinked.

"Good?"

"Yes."

Raku picked up his weapon.

"You’ve already helped enough people while half-dead. Don’t start again."

Nerin gave a faint smile.

"I thought you should know before someone followed the wrong path."

Raku called two guards over.

"Close that junction. Nobody passes until I’ve inspected it."

The warriors immediately straightened.

"Yes, Commander!"

"And don’t touch those markers."

Raku looked toward Nerin.

"Anything else?"

Nerin shook his head.

"No."

"Then go sleep."

Nerin opened his mouth.

Raku raised one eyebrow.

"That’s an order."

The silver deer smiled.

"All right."

He turned toward his shelter.

Behind him, Raku watched the guards hurry toward the sealed passage.

His expression darkened.

Someone had moved the markers.

And after everything Ironwood had suffered, he doubted it was an accident.

By the time Nerin reached his shelter, his head was beginning to ache again.

He set the lantern beside his bed, removed his shoes, and carefully lay down.

For once, he did not reach for another piece of wood to carve.

He did not make another list of things Ironwood needed.

He simply closed his eyes.

And remembered Swanly’s smile.

I invited you because I wanted you there.

His silver ears turned faintly pink.

He pulled the blanket over himself.

Then, for the first time in days, Nerin fell asleep feeling that perhaps there really was a place for him in her life.

Back at the family shelter, Swanly was having a much less peaceful evening.

Because Thalara had returned.

And she was sitting opposite two very intimidating males.

Soren sat beside Swanly, his white tail curled loosely around her waist.

Kael sat on her other side, one arm resting behind her back.

Neither looked particularly pleased.

Swanly smiled nervously.

"So..."

Soren looked at her.

She looked at him.

Then at Kael.

Then at Thalara.

"Would anyone like some fruit?"

"No," Soren answered.

Kael shook his head.

Thalara looked as though she had forgotten what fruit was.

Swanly sighed.

"Wonderful."

The children were asleep in the adjoining room. A low lamp illuminated their bedding, and the soft rise and fall of five little bodies could be seen through the open doorway.

Thalara had examined them briefly before joining the adults.

Now she sat with her hands folded, her third eye glowing faintly.

Soren spoke first.

"You said there was something important."

Swanly nodded.

"Yes."

His silver eyes settled on her.

"Does it concern the pain in your chest?"

She hesitated.

Kael immediately noticed.

"Swanly."

She sighed.

"Partly."

Both males straightened.

Swanly quickly lifted her hands.

"Before you start getting angry, I’m okay."

Soren’s tail tightened slightly.

"You coughed blood this morning."

"I know."

"And you left the shelter against Nahla’s instructions."

Swanly winced.

"Also true."

Kael looked at her.

"You told me you were taking a short walk."

"It was a short walk."

"To where?"

Swanly hesitated.

"The forest near the old maintenance passage."

Silence.

Soren slowly turned his head.

Kael’s ears flattened.

Swanly smiled weakly.

"...Surprise?"

Neither male smiled.