Chapter 165: unusual sleep

Chapter 165: Chapter 165: unusual sleep

Back at Moonfist Territory, Caleb stood before the elders in the council chamber, recounting almost everything that had happened during their mission.

He explained how they had been pulled into another territory, how they had encountered the divine beasts, and how the brothers and amy had formed new bonds with their own beasts.

However, he left out the ice fortress and what he had seen there.

The first elder listened with his fingers steepled beneath his chin. The longer Caleb spoke, the deeper the lines between the old man’s brows became. When Caleb finally finished, the elder leaned back in his chair and released a slow breath.

"This is a very unexpected outcome."

Caleb stood straight, his hands clasped behind his back, though the exhaustion from their recent ordeal still weighed on his shoulders.

"You failed your mission," the elder continued. "You were supposed to locate a secret base belonging to the Underworld. Instead, you returned without discovering its location, and the Underworld managed to kidnap a large number of people and turn the forbidden forest into a bloodbath in only a few hours."

His gaze moved from Caleb to the other elders seated around the table.

"Yes, you saved most of the people who were taken, and that deserves recognition. But do you understand what this means for our territory? Those people have witnessed things they cannot explain. Their families are terrified, and nobody knows how the Underworld managed to pull off such an attack without being detected."

He tapped his fingers against the armrest, his expression growing heavier.

"Worse, we still know almost nothing about these operatives. We don’t know where they came from, how many more are hiding among us, or what they intend to do next. If they can organize an attack of this scale in less than twenty-four hours, what is stopping them from doing it again?"

Caleb’s jaw tightened slightly. There were too many things that didn’t add up, and he had no answers that would satisfy the council.

"And yet, you have brought us no useful information about the Underworld itself."

Caleb fell silent.

Another elder shifted in his seat, his displeasure evident in the way he folded his arms across his chest.

"We should have assigned this mission to the higher recruits from the beginning. They would have handled it properly instead of returning with more questions than answers."

Caleb’s fingers curled briefly behind his back, but he kept his expression composed.

Before he could respond, the first elder raised a hand, silencing the man.

"I assigned the mission to Caleb because I believed he was competent enough to handle it." The elder rubbed his temple, looking more tired than angry now. "After hearing this report, however, I find myself questioning that decision."

He paused, then glanced toward Enzo, Reid, and Dean, who had remained quiet throughout the meeting.

"The higher recruits should return from their own mission in a few days. And Amelia? Has she woken up yet?"

"No," Enzo answered.

He stood with his shoulders squared.

"She used a great deal of energy keeping us safe and bringing us back. Her body needs time to recover, and I would prefer that she not be disturbed."

The elder studied him.

"We have questions for her as well. Her involvement in these events cannot be overlooked."

"I’m aware of that," Enzo replied evenly. "Once she wakes up and has recovered, she can answer whatever questions she is willing to answer. Until then, I see no reason to make her recovery more difficult than it already is."

The first elder held Enzo’s gaze for another moment before finally nodding.

"Very well. You may leave."

They bowed briefly and turned toward the doors, while Caleb and Amy remained behind.

The moment the heavy doors shut behind them, Reid’s expression changed.

"Is it just me, or was the elder unusually easy on us today?"

Enzo continued down the corridor without slowing.

"I noticed."

Reid caught up with him. "Then you agree it’s suspicious?"

"I agree that something isn’t right," Enzo replied. "But we have amelia to be worried about."

*

The three brothers quickened their pace, heading straight for Enzo’s room.

When they entered, the room was quiet, with the curtains allowing only a soft wash of daylight to reach the bed. Amelia lay beneath the covers, her long hair spread across the pillow. Her breathing was slow and even, and there was no sign that she had stirred since they left

Reid stopped at the foot of the bed, studying her for a moment before looking at his brothers.

"Isn’t this unusual for her to sleep this long?"

"Yes," Enzo answered. "Her body has already been checked. Nothing is wrong with her."

Dean moved to the side of the bed, looking down at Amelia with a thoughtful expression before turning toward his brothers.

"We could use this opportunity to continue the dream we shared with her."

Reid nodded slowly. "It’s worth a try."

Enzo fell quiet. If their dreams could help them recover those memories, he was willing to try anything.

"All right," he said at last. "We’ll try it."

Reid glanced at the bed, then at the space beside it.

There was only one problem.

The mattress was barely large enough for three people, let alone four. Amelia was already lying comfortably in the middle, and none of the brothers seemed particularly willing to sleep anywhere that would put them too far from her.

Reid cracked his knuckles and looked between his brothers.

"We could settle this the usual way. Rock-paper-scissors."

Dean’s expression changed immediately.

"No."

Reid blinked. "No?"

"You always win."

"That’s because I’m good at it."

Dean turned toward Enzo. "He’s already slept beside her before. He can take the floor this time."

Reid’s face brightened. "He’s right."

Enzo slowly turned his head toward them.

"This is my room," he reminded them. "My bed. My room. Why would I sleep on the floor?"

**

So they settled it with rock-paper-scissors.

Enzo lost.

Dean, already settled on the bed, lifted the covers slightly to make room for himself. "Are you planning to sleep on the floor all night, or are you going to make yourself comfortable?"

Enzo gave him a long, cold look before gathering the spare blankets and cushions.

A few minutes later, he lay on a makeshift bed on the floor beside the mattress, his arms crossed over his chest and his expression dark with displeasure. The arrangement was hardly comfortable, and the thin cushion beneath his head did little to improve his mood.

Meanwhile, Reid had settled on Amelia’s other side, looking far too satisfied with the outcome. Dean lay on the opposite side, adjusting his pillow before turning his attention back to Amelia to make sure she was still comfortable.

Reid glanced down at Enzo.

"How’s the floor?"

"Wonderful."

"Need another blanket?"

"No."