Chapter 279: I’m beginning to think neither of you appreciates my survival skills

Chapter 279: Chapter 279: I’m beginning to think neither of you appreciates my survival skills

Kael took a slow breath.

"You went that far alone?"

"I didn’t go underground."

"That isn’t what I asked."

Swanly lowered her eyes.

"No. It isn’t."

Soren’s hand settled against the back of her neck.

His thumb moved slowly over her skin.

"Swanly, we spoke about this."

"I know."

"You were hurt."

"I know."

"You were supposed to tell us if you wanted to investigate something dangerous."

She looked up.

His expression was stern.

But beneath it was something much worse.

Fear.

Again.

Her smile disappeared.

"I’m sorry."

Kael’s golden eyes softened slightly.

Swanly looked between them.

"I thought I could check something quickly and come back before anyone worried."

Soren stared at her.

"That is exactly how you disappeared underground."

She had no answer for that.

Kael sighed.

Then gently pulled her closer.

"We are not asking you to stop making decisions."

Swanly looked at him.

"We’re asking you to stop making dangerous ones alone."

His hand covered hers.

"You have people who can help you."

Swanly swallowed.

"I know."

"Then let us."

She leaned against him.

"Okay."

Soren brushed a loose strand of white hair away from her face.

"Now tell us what happened."

Swanly glanced toward Thalara.

The ancient woman straightened slightly.

For one terrible moment, Swanly thought she was about to explain everything.

The arrow.

The blood.

The tree.

That frightening discovery about the First Heart.

Swanly’s stomach tightened.

She caught Thalara’s eyes.

Then gave the smallest shake of her head.

Please.

Thalara paused.

Her glowing third eye narrowed.

Swanly held her gaze.

She wasn’t ready.

Not tonight.

Not when her mates had barely recovered from believing she was dead.

Not when Soren had spent the entire day worrying about her health.

The ancient woman studied her for another moment.

Then her expression changed.

She understood.

Although she clearly wasn’t happy about it.

Thalara slowly turned toward the two males.

"I returned to the Rot Nest."

Soren’s expression sharpened.

"The Nest?"

"Yes. I needed to investigate something that has concerned me for some time."

Kael frowned.

"What?"

Thalara folded her hands.

"The Cleanbirth Seeds."

Soren went still.

"You consumed them for years to sustain your damaged core," Thalara continued.

"Yes."

"And when Swanly accompanied you to retrieve another Seed, something unusual happened."

Soren’s silver eyes narrowed.

"What happened?"

Thalara looked toward Swanly.

"Some of her blood entered the ancient roots during the disturbance."

Kael immediately turned toward his mate.

"You were bleeding?"

Swanly winced.

"A little."

His black ears flattened.

"Swanly."

"That happened a while ago!"

"That doesn’t make it better."

She pouted.

"I’m beginning to think neither of you appreciates my survival skills."

Soren gave her a flat look.

"Your survival skills are precisely why you keep believing you can survive everything."

Swanly opened her mouth.

Then closed it.

That was annoyingly difficult to argue with.

Thalara continued.

"The Rot Nest is older than most living territories. Its roots carry traces of the ancient life force that created the Seeds."

Soren listened carefully.

"Every time you consumed one, your body adapted to that life force."

His expression darkened.

"Are you saying the Seeds changed me?"

"Not in the way you’re thinking."

Thalara shook her head.

"They kept you alive. But repeated exposure may have left a lasting response within your body."

Soren went quiet.

Thalara looked toward the adjoining room.

"Which brings me to your daughters."

The atmosphere changed immediately.

Soren’s tail stopped moving.

Kael straightened.

Swanly’s smile faded.

"What about them?" Soren asked.

Thalara took a breath.

"Eira and Sira carry faint traces of that ancient response."

Silence.

For several seconds, neither male spoke.

Then Soren asked:

"Are my daughters infected?"

His voice was terrifyingly calm.

Thalara immediately shook her head.

"No."

Soren stared.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. They do not carry Rot infection."

Kael’s shoulders relaxed slightly.

But Soren did not move.

"Then explain exactly what they carry."

Thalara looked toward the sleeping children.

"It is something closer to an inherited biological response. Their bodies appear capable of recognizing traces of the same ancient life force that sustained you."

Soren frowned.

"And Swanly?"

Thalara hesitated.

Swanly immediately looked at her.

The ancient woman caught the warning in her eyes.

Then answered carefully.

"Swanly was exposed to the Nest’s roots when she retrieved the Seed. That may have contributed to the response inherited by the twins."

Soren’s eyes moved toward Swanly.

She smiled weakly.

"Surprise?"

He did not smile.

Kael rubbed his forehead.

"Our family really cannot go anywhere without something strange happening."

Swanly nodded solemnly.

"Exactly. It’s becoming very inconvenient."

Neither male laughed.

She sighed.

"Tough audience."

Kael turned back toward Thalara.

"Can these traces hurt the girls?"

"I haven’t found evidence of that."

Thalara’s voice softened.

"They are healthy children. Their growth, behavior, and physical condition remain normal for their species."

Soren looked toward the adjoining room.

Eira was sleeping beside Sira, her tiny white tail resting over her sister’s legs.

Sira had one little hand pressed against Kairo’s back.

Both girls looked completely peaceful.

His expression softened.

Only briefly.

Then he asked:

"Could something cause the inherited response to become dangerous?"

Thalara hesitated.

"I cannot rule out complications if they are exposed directly to unstable ancient life forces. But I have found nothing suggesting they are in immediate danger."

Soren’s silver eyes narrowed.

"Then they will never be exposed to them."

Swanly gently touched his arm.

"Soren..."

He looked at her.

"No."

She blinked.

"I haven’t said anything."

"You were about to."

Swanly gasped.

"Can you stop predicting my arguments?"

"No."

Kael almost smiled.

Then Soren turned toward Thalara.

"Nobody outside this room learns about my daughters."

Thalara inclined her head.

"Agreed."

"Not the Veskari."

"Of course."

"Not their envoys. Not their healers. Nobody."

His white tail moved slowly behind him.

"If any of those winged bastards tries to take a drop of my daughters’ blood, I will remove the hand they reach with."

Swanly stared.

Then sighed.

"There goes my peaceful family meeting."

Kael looked toward the sleeping children.

His expression hardened.

"Soren’s right."

Swanly blinked.

"You’re agreeing with him?"

Kael turned.

"Did you see the way that royal prince was looking at our children earlier?"

Swanly’s smile disappeared.

She remembered what the cubs had told her about Vaedric.

The questions.

His strange interest in the girls.

Her ears slowly flattened.

"Yes."

Kael’s black tail lashed.

"We don’t know what they want from this territory. Until we do, they learn nothing about our children’s bodies."

Swanly nodded.

"Agreed."

Soren settled beside her again.

His tail curled around her waist, drawing her comfortably against his chest.

She leaned into him.

He lowered his head and pressed a kiss against her temple.

Then another against her cheek.

Swanly smiled.

"Someone’s being affectionate."

Soren’s silver eyes remained serious.

"Someone keeps frightening her mates."

She looked up.

"Oh, sweetheart."

He pressed his forehead against hers.

"Do you understand what would happen to me if something happened to you or our daughters?"

Swanly’s smile softened.

"I know."

His hand moved to the back of her head.

"Then stop giving me reasons to imagine it."

She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Okay."

Kael quietly moved closer.

Swanly immediately reached for him too.

He caught her hand.

She tugged.

"Come here."

Kael raised one eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Because I want both my handsome males."