Chapter 177: Why do you always start with me?

Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Why do you always start with me?

Soren looked down.

"Hides."

"I can see that."

"Then why ask?"

"Soren."

His mouth twitched.

Swanly pointed.

"What are they for?"

He unfolded one.

Soft.

Pale.

Beautifully cleaned.

Much finer than ordinary sleeping hides.

"I am making something."

Swanly stared.

"You?"

"Yes."

Kael’s head snapped around.

"You sew?"

Soren looked at him.

"I possess hands."

"That does not answer the question."

"I know how."

Swanly sat up a little straighter.

"What are you making?"

"For them."

He looked toward the girls.

"Small wraps. Winter coverings."

Something warm touched Swanly’s chest.

"That is..."

She smiled.

"Cute."

Soren’s scales lifted faintly along his neck.

Kael stared at the hides.

Then at Soren.

Then at his own daughters-by-family, if not by blood.

His black tail flicked.

"I can make things too."

Swanly looked at him.

Soren looked at him.

Kael’s ears flattened.

"What?"

Soren’s mouth curved.

"Nothing."

"I built their sleeping cradle."

"Yes."

"I can sew."

Swanly raised a brow.

Kael paused.

"I can learn."

Soren looked insufferably pleased.

Swanly groaned.

"Please do not turn baby clothing into a mating competition."

"It is not a competition," Kael said.

Soren replied calmly:

"Because you would lose."

Kael stood.

Swanly immediately pointed.

"No fighting near the newborns!"

Both males went silent.

Miko whispered to Kairo:

"Papa is going to learn sewing."

Kairo whispered back:

"He will make armor."

Nilo nodded.

"For babies."

Swanly heard every word.

Unfortunately, she could absolutely imagine Kael trying to make reinforced baby wraps.

Before she could comment, a voice came from outside.

"My lord."

Everyone turned.

A thick hide curtain had been tied across the entrance so nobody could casually walk into Swanly’s recovery space.

Raku remained behind it.

He did not enter.

Soren’s amusement disappeared instantly.

"What?"

"The prisoner."

Silence.

Swanly’s expression changed.

Raku continued.

"It is still alive."

Soren’s silver eyes became cold.

Very cold.

The newborn warmth vanished from his face so completely it was almost frightening.

Raku lowered his voice.

"It has tried changing shape twice. It has tried biting through the bindings. It has stopped speaking."

Soren stood.

Swanly watched him.

There he was again.

Not Snake Papa being bullied by cubs.

Not the male preparing tiny hides for his daughters.

The ruler.

The dangerous one.

The male who had deliberately kept one Veilkin alive while everyone else was killing anything that crawled from the earth.

Soren looked toward the curtain.

"Good."

Raku paused.

"You wanted it conscious."

"I did."

Swanly already knew.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Soren."

He looked at her.

"You’re going into its mind."

Kael’s expression hardened.

Raku went quiet outside.

Soren did not deny it.

He simply adjusted the pale hide beneath his arm and looked toward the shelter entrance.

Swanly knew how rarely he used that ability.

Mind-touch was not casual.

Not harmless.

He used it when answers mattered more than comfort.

And after what had crawled beneath Ironwood yesterday?

Answers mattered.

Soren’s silver pupils narrowed.

"They came beneath my walls."

His voice lost every trace of warmth.

"They killed my people."

A beat.

"They tried to reach whatever is sealed beneath this land."

He handed the baby hides to Kael.

Then turned toward the curtain.

"It is time I find out why."

Soren left first.

The hide curtain fell behind him.

Swanly immediately pushed the blanket off her legs.

Kael’s head snapped toward her.

"No."

She had not even stood yet.

Swanly stared at him.

"I didn’t say anything."

"You moved."

"I am allowed to move."

"You gave birth yesterday."

"And somehow I survived."

"That is not permission to start wandering around Ironwood."

Swanly planted both feet on the floor.

Pain immediately reminded her that two entire children had come out of her body less than a day ago.

Her face twitched.

Kael saw it.

His golden eyes narrowed.

"Lie down."

"No."

"Swanly."

"I want to know what that creature knows."

"So do I."

"Wonderful. We agree."

"We agree that I will go."

Her white fox ears flattened.

"And I stay here?"

"Yes."

"No."

Kael closed his eyes.

"Why do I bother speaking?"

"Because you love hearing yourself."

"I barely speak."

"Exactly. Every word becomes an event."

From the bedding came a tiny squeak.

Both turned.

Two newborn girls lay wrapped beside each other.

Kairo, Nilo and Miko were sitting around them like three miniature guards.

Miko pointed at Swanly.

"Mama is escaping."

Swanly’s mouth dropped open.

"I am not escaping!"

Kairo frowned seriously.

"You are supposed to rest."

Nilo nodded.

"Nahla said so."

Traitors.

All of them.

Swanly pointed at her sons.

"Do not join your father."

Kael folded his arms.

"Our sons are intelligent."

Miko raised his hand.

"I agree."

"No one asked you."

He lowered it.

Swanly slowly stood.

Kael was beside her instantly.

One hand caught her waist.

She hated how necessary it was.

Her body felt strange.

Lighter without the pregnancy weight, yet sore everywhere else.

Her legs were weak.

Her lower back ached.

Even walking made her painfully aware that childbirth had occurred very recently.

But she could walk.

Therefore, she was going.

Kael saw the determination on her face and sighed.

"If you feel dizzy, we return."

"Fine."

"If you start bleeding more..."

"Kael."

"We return."

"Fine."

"If you..."

"Fine!"

He stared at her.

She stared back.

His tail lashed once.

Then he surrendered.

"I am coming with you."

"That was already obvious."

Before leaving, Swanly turned toward the cubs.

Tilla had arrived with Tavi and was settling beside the newborns. Ena sat nearby with Lumi, while Mora stood outside the shelter entrance with one scarred arm folded across her chest.

Three adults.

Good.

Swanly pointed at Miko first.

"You."

Miko blinked.

"Why do you always start with me?"

"Because history."

Kairo covered his mouth.

Nilo looked away.

Miko looked personally wounded.

Swanly continued.

"No climbing."

"I know."

"No leaving."

"I know."

"No touching red ropes."

"I KNOW."

"No trying to test whether your sisters are venomous again."

Miko glanced toward the newborn who had bitten him.

"She started it."

"She is one day old."

"She still started it."

Swanly stared.

Miko sighed dramatically.

"Fine."

Then Swanly turned toward Kairo.

"Kairo."

He sat straighter.

"You are not the adult."

His tiny guard posture faltered.

...

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