Chapter 288: If he brings Mama the moon, will you be angry?

Chapter 288: Chapter 288: If he brings Mama the moon, will you be angry?

Then Azren slowly lifted one hand.

His expression became cold.

"Brother."

Vaedric’s eyes narrowed.

Azren’s voice dropped.

"You should know better."

He closed his fingers.

The violet barrier contracted.

Then expanded violently.

CRACK!

Vaedric’s black energy shattered.

A wave of force swept backward through the Veskari camp.

Several guards were thrown off their feet.

The ground beneath Vaedric cracked.

His wings snapped wider as he braced himself.

Swanly stared.

Azren lowered his hand.

His expression was completely different from the playful male who had spent the morning teasing her children.

His beautiful face was cold.

His eyes frighteningly bright.

For one moment, Swanly had the terrible feeling that if he chose to attack again, the entire forest would suffer.

Vaedric slowly straightened.

The brothers stared at each other.

Silence.

Then Azren smiled.

A small, infuriating smile.

"Careful."

Vaedric’s jaw tightened.

Azren tilted his head.

"You nearly damaged the supplies."

Swanly’s mouth fell open.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Kael tightened his arm around her.

Soren’s silver eyes remained fixed on the two princes.

Neither looked amused.

Raku had already ordered the nearby villagers to retreat behind the inner defenses.

Mora was helping a frightened healer away from the lookout.

Nahla gripped her walking stick.

Her face was pale.

Even the old healer had stopped insulting people.

Vaedric’s eyes narrowed.

"You think our parents will protect you forever?"

Azren laughed softly.

"They aren’t here, Brother."

His wings moved lazily.

"And I’m not particularly frightened of you."

Vaedric stared at him.

Then his lips curved.

A cruel smile.

"We’ll see."

He turned away.

His warriors immediately followed.

Veyra hurried after them, her chains rattling.

Azren watched his brother disappear.

Then he turned toward Ironwood.

His familiar smile returned.

"Now. Where were we?"

Swanly stared at him.

"ARE YOU INSANE?!"

Azren blinked.

"Occasionally."

"You two almost destroyed the forest!"

"Only a small part."

"AZREN!"

He laughed.

Soren pulled Swanly closer.

His silver eyes were colder than before.

"Take your remaining guards and leave."

Azren looked toward him.

For a moment, the two males simply stared.

Then Azren’s smile softened.

"As you wish."

He looked toward Swanly.

"Take care of yourself, little fox."

Swanly did not answer immediately.

She was still staring at the cracked ground beyond the boundary.

She had known the Veskari were powerful.

But that?

That had barely been a serious fight.

And if those two brothers ever decided to fight without restraint...

She looked toward Ironwood.

The damaged shelters.

The newly repaired paths.

Her children.

A chill ran down her spine.

System.

YES, HOST?

How strong are those two?

The fairy’s expression was grim.

INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR ACCURATE CLASSIFICATION.

Swanly swallowed.

Wonderful.

HOWEVER, HOST...

She frowned.

What?

I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT PROVOKE EITHER OF THEM INTO A FULL-SCALE BATTLE NEAR THE TERRITORY.

Swanly slowly turned toward the two princes disappearing into the forest.

Then whispered:

"Trust me. I wasn’t planning to."

The first patient collapsed shortly after sunset.

Nahla had been preparing a fresh bandage when a terrible scream came from the eastern medical shelter.

"HEALER!"

She turned.

A young female was standing beside her mate’s bed.

Her hands were covered in blood.

"PLEASE! SOMETHING’S WRONG!"

Nahla grabbed her medicine bag.

"MOVE!"

She hurried between the beds.

The male had been recovering from Heart Fever for three days.

His temperature had fallen.

His appetite had returned.

He had even managed to stand that morning.

Now his entire body was trembling.

His eyes were open.

Wide.

Terrified.

And he was clawing desperately at his chest.

"IT’S UNDER ME!"

The female sobbed.

"What?"

"GET IT OUT!"

Nahla caught his wrists.

"Look at me!"

The male screamed again.

"IT’S MOVING!"

His back arched.

Blood trickled from his nose.

Nahla pressed two fingers against his throat.

His pulse was racing.

Far too fast.

"Sari!"

The goat healer rushed over.

"Yes?"

"Bring the cooling mixture. And get these blankets off him!"

Sari immediately obeyed.

The male suddenly stopped struggling.

His entire body went rigid.

Nahla froze.

Then he whispered:

"Can you hear it?"

The old healer leaned closer.

"Hear what?"

The male’s eyes filled with tears.

"Under the floor."

A faint knocking sound came from beneath his bed.

Tok.

Nahla stopped breathing.

Tok.

Sari slowly looked down.

The sound stopped.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then another scream came from the opposite side of the shelter.

And another.

Three patients.

All recovering.

All suddenly getting worse.

Nahla’s gray ears flattened.

"Oh, you miserable ancient bastards."

She grabbed her walking stick.

"SARI! CALL SOREN!"

At the family shelter, Swanly was finally enjoying something resembling peace.

She had finished her dinner.

Her headache had eased.

Kael was helping the boys clean their little training tools.

Soren sat nearby with Eira resting against his chest.

Sira had fallen asleep beside Nilo, her tiny white tail loosely curled around his wrist.

For once, Miko wasn’t shouting.

He was whispering.

Which, in Miko’s case, meant speaking at the volume of an ordinary adult.

"Kairo."

The eldest triplet looked up.

"What?"

"Do you think Azren can really fly to the moon?"

Kairo blinked.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because it’s far."

Miko considered this.

Then nodded.

"Good."

Nilo frowned.

"Why good?"

Miko looked deeply serious.

"Because he might bring the moon home."

Kairo stared.

Nilo sighed.

Swanly covered her mouth.

Kael looked toward his youngest son.

"Miko, why would he bring the moon home?"

Miko shrugged.

"Present for Mama."

Soren’s silver eyes narrowed.

Swanly burst out laughing.

"OH, MY GOD!"

Kael closed his eyes.

Miko looked toward Soren.

"Papa?"

"Yes?"

"If he brings Mama the moon, will you be angry?"

Soren stared.

Then answered calmly:

"I will return it."

Miko’s mouth fell open.

"THE WHOLE MOON?!"

Swanly laughed so hard she nearly fell sideways.

Kael caught her.

"Careful."

She leaned against his shoulder, still giggling.

"I love this family."

Then Eira moved.

The little snake girl lifted her head from Soren’s chest.

Her silver eyes opened.

She looked toward the floor.

And frowned.

Soren noticed immediately.

"Eira?"

She didn’t answer.

Her little tail slowly tightened around his wrist.

Then she pressed one hand against his chest.

"Papa."

"Yes, little one?"

Her eyes remained fixed on the floor.

"Bad."

Soren’s expression changed.

"What?"

Eira shook her head.

"Bad."

Sira suddenly stirred.

She opened her eyes.

Then looked toward her sister.

"Ei?"

Eira hissed softly.

Not at anyone.

Not angrily.

It was the sound she made whenever something frightened her.