Chapter 257: She could have warned us?

Chapter 257: Chapter 257: She could have warned us?

Kael said:

"Yes."

Soren answered at exactly the same time.

"Very."

Swanly turned.

"Seriously?"

Soren looked at her.

"You asked."

"I DID NOT ASK!"

Miko whispered to Nilo:

"Mama is in trouble."

Nilo nodded solemnly.

"Big trouble."

For the first time that night, Kairo gave a tiny smile.

It vanished almost immediately.

But Swanly saw it.

And loved him fiercely for it.

Not far away, Raku stood beside the ruined storage path.

His thick crocodile tail rested across the ground.

He watched the reunited family for several seconds.

Then looked toward the bodies laid beneath clean hides.

Mora stood beside him.

Her brown bear ears drooped.

"They got her back."

Raku nodded.

"Yes."

Mora followed his gaze toward the covered bodies.

"Not everyone got someone back."

Raku said nothing.

After a moment, he took the last clean cloth from his belt and handed it to her.

Mora looked at him.

"For what?"

"You’re bleeding."

She touched her forehead.

Her fingers came away red.

"I’ve had worse."

"I know."

She studied him.

Then took the cloth.

This time, she did not argue.

Across the treatment area, Sari continued moving between patients while Nahla inspected the latest injuries.

The fighting had stopped.

But the suffering had not.

Some people had lost mates.

Some had lost parents.

Others lay beneath blankets, shaking from pain and fever.

Vida sat on a raised platform with her baby held tightly against her chest.

The child was breathing.

Still weak.

But breathing.

Vida watched Swanly surrounded by her five children.

Tears ran down her face.

She kissed her baby’s forehead.

Then held him closer.

Swanly noticed.

And for the first time since returning, she really looked around.

At the broken shelters.

The injured.

The empty places where people should have been standing.

Her smile slowly faded.

"How many did we lose?"

Nobody answered immediately.

That was answer enough.

Swanly lowered her gaze.

Then looked again.

She began counting familiar faces.

Tilla.

Tavi.

Nahla.

Sari.

Mora.

Raku.

Tovan.

Kael.

Soren.

The children.

Then she stopped.

Her ears turned.

"Wait."

Kael looked down at her.

"What?"

Swanly looked toward the treatment shelters.

Then the garden path.

"Where’s Nerin?"

A few steps away, Tilla turned.

At the edge of the gathering, behind a partially broken wooden post, Nerin froze.

He had been there the entire time.

Watching.

His silver deer ears were lowered, his broken antler wrapped in bloody cloth.

One side of his face was pale beneath the dried blood.

He had cried when Swanly disappeared.

Then cried again when someone said she might not return.

He had spent what felt like hours listening through the ground, searching for any sign of her.

And now?

She was back.

Alive.

His chest hurt with relief.

He wanted to run to her.

Wanted to touch her face.

Ask whether she was hurt.

Hold her.

Just once.

But he looked at Kael beside her.

Soren behind her.

Five children gathered around her legs.

Her family.

Nerin’s little tail lowered.

What place do I have there?

He looked down.

No.

This was their moment.

He shouldn’t interrupt.

Then Swanly called again.

"Nerin?"

His ears shot up.

She was looking for him.

Of all the people surrounding her, she had noticed he was missing.

Nerin’s eyes filled.

He immediately stepped backward into the shadows.

Tilla saw him.

Her expression softened.

For a moment, she considered calling him out.

Then she saw his face.

The poor deer looked like one more kind word might make him fall apart.

So she stayed quiet.

Swanly turned toward her.

"Tilla, have you seen Nerin?"

Tilla hesitated.

"He was helping near the eastern shelter."

"Is he okay?"

"He was alive the last time I saw him."

Swanly’s ears drooped.

"I need to check on him."

She started to move.

Immediately, five little bodies protested.

"Mama!"

"No!"

"Stay!"

Swanly looked down.

Then sighed.

"Oh, my God."

Miko had grabbed her leg.

Sira was reaching from Nilo’s arms.

Eira stared at her with open suspicion.

Kairo shook his head.

"No leaving."

Swanly rubbed her forehead.

"I’m not leaving Ironwood, baby. I just want to..."

"Lady Swanly!"

A guard came running.

His spear was broken.

Blood stained the side of his hide armor.

He stopped several steps away and bowed toward Soren.

"My lord."

Soren’s expression changed immediately.

"What?"

The guard looked toward Swanly.

Then Kael.

Then the gathered residents.

"We have finished questioning the people involved in the northwest anchor disturbance."

Swanly frowned.

The guard hesitated.

Soren’s pupils narrowed.

"Speak."

The male swallowed.

"The captive hyena female, Brea. The Veskari attendant Veyra. And Vida’s mate."

Swanly went still.

"What do they have to do with this?"

The guard looked toward the destroyed shelters.

Then back at her.

"Lady Swanly..."

His voice became grim.

"This was not an accident caused by the old stones collapsing on their own."

Silence spread through the gathering.

Tilla’s ears rose.

Raku turned.

Mora’s eyes narrowed.

Even Nahla stopped walking.

Swanly stared at the guard.

"What?"

The male clenched his jaw.

"Veyra had been questioning Brea about the Blood Boundary for some time."

Swanly’s expression changed.

"Veyra?"

"Yes."

The guard continued.

"Brea knew she was investigating the boundary. She saw her testing it. She knew the attendant was trying to find a way into Ironwood."

Soren’s tail slowly tightened.

The guard swallowed.

"But Brea never warned us."

Swanly’s eyes widened.

"She knew?"

"Yes."

The male lowered his head.

"And Veyra convinced Vida’s mate that loosening the old northwest anchor might allow a Veskari healer through."

Vida made a strangled sound.

Her mate was still being held under guard.

The male continued.

"He believed it could save his baby."

Swanly looked toward Vida.

Then toward the ruined shelters.

The dead.

The wounded.

The children who would never see their parents again.

Her stomach turned.

"The boundary?"

Soren answered.

"Never opened."

Swanly slowly turned toward him.

His silver eyes were cold.

"Only the old foundation was damaged."

The guard nodded.

"And that disturbance woke the Warders."

For several seconds, Swanly said nothing.

Then her ears flattened.

Her fluffy white tail went completely still.

Tilla’s face drained of color.

Raku’s claws slowly curled into fists.

Kael stepped closer to Swanly.

Soren’s scales began rising along his neck.

The guard looked from one face to another.

"There is more, my lord."

Soren stared at him.

"Speak."

The guard swallowed.

"When Brea saw Vida’s mate begin loosening the anchor, she understood what Veyra was attempting."

A terrible silence settled over them.

The guard’s voice dropped.

"She knew it was happening."

Swanly felt cold all over.

"She could have warned us?"

The guard nodded.

"Yes, Lady Swanly."

He lowered his eyes.

"She chose not to."

Swanly looked toward the covered bodies.

Then slowly raised her head.

"Where are they?"