Chapter 268: Are you two not mad at me anymore?

Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Are you two not mad at me anymore?

"What the fuck?"

Swanly stared at the blood staining her blanket.

For several seconds, she couldn’t move.

Her chest hurt.

Not the familiar soreness from fighting.

Not the pain from her injured ribs.

This was different.

It had come from somewhere deep inside her, and for one terrifying moment, she had felt something tighten around her heart.

"System!"

A golden flash appeared beside her pillow.

HOST!

The little fairy took one look at the blood.

Its wings stopped moving.

WHAT HAPPENED?!

"I DON’T KNOW!"

Swanly pressed a hand against her chest.

"I was sleeping, and then something hurt, and then..."

She pointed toward the blanket.

The fairy immediately raised both hands.

INITIATING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SCAN!

Golden light swept across her body.

Once.

Twice.

Then a third time.

Swanly waited.

Her heart was still beating uncomfortably fast.

"Anything?"

PLEASE REMAIN STILL.

"I AM STILL!"

YOUR HEART RATE IS ELEVATED.

"BECAUSE I JUST COUGHED UP BLOOD!"

The fairy ignored her.

Several glowing panels appeared.

INTERNAL TISSUE DAMAGE DETECTED.

MINOR PULMONARY VESSEL INJURY.

RESIDUAL BLUNT-FORCE TRAUMA PRESENT.

Swanly blinked.

"From the underground fight?"

POSSIBLE. HOWEVER...

The fairy frowned.

Another panel appeared.

Then disappeared.

UNIDENTIFIED BIOLOGICAL INTERFERENCE DETECTED.

Swanly slowly lowered her hand.

"What interference?"

ANALYZING.

A strange pressure returned beneath her ribs.

Not as painful.

But enough to make her wince.

"System?"

I AM CHECKING, HOST.

The fairy’s expression had become unusually serious.

That frightened Swanly more than the blood.

Then, from outside, a familiar little voice shouted.

"MAMA!"

Swanly froze.

Oh, no.

Not now.

She quickly grabbed the corner of her blanket and folded it over the blood.

"System, disappear!"

BUT HOST...

"NOW!"

The fairy vanished.

Just as five little figures came rushing through the doorway.

"MAMA!"

Miko was first.

Obviously.

He ran so fast his little black tail almost knocked into the doorframe.

Kairo followed, with Nilo carrying Sira.

Nerin appeared behind them, holding Eira carefully against his chest.

The silver deer stopped when he saw Swanly sitting upright.

"Swanly?"

She immediately smiled.

"Hello, my babies!"

Miko launched himself toward the bed.

Swanly caught him.

Barely.

"Oof!"

"Mama!"

He wrapped both arms around her neck.

Then leaned back to inspect her face.

"Are you still sleeping?"

Swanly blinked.

"Does it look like I’m sleeping?"

"No."

"Then why did you ask?"

"Because Papa said you should be sleeping!"

Kairo climbed onto the mattress from the other side.

"Mama, we came back."

"I can see that, sweetheart."

Nilo carefully lowered Sira beside her.

The baby immediately crawled over the blanket.

"Mama!"

Swanly scooped her up.

"My little girl!"

Eira began struggling in Nerin’s arms.

"Down."

Nerin smiled.

"Careful, little one."

He placed her on the bed.

Eira immediately crawled toward Swanly.

Then stopped.

Her silver eyes moved toward the folded blanket.

Swanly’s smile froze.

Eira leaned forward.

Sniffed.

Then tilted her head.

"Blood?"

Swanly nearly swallowed her tongue.

"What?"

Kairo’s ears shot up.

"Blood?"

Miko looked down.

Then up.

"Mama?"

Swanly laughed.

A very suspicious laugh.

"Nothing! It’s nothing!"

Nilo narrowed his eyes.

That was usually his mother’s voice when something was definitely not nothing.

He reached for the blanket.

Swanly gently caught his hand.

"Sweetheart, don’t..."

But Kairo had already spotted the red stain near her wrist.

His face changed.

"Mama’s bleeding!"

The words struck the room.

Nerin’s smile vanished.

"Swanly?"

Before she could answer, a black figure appeared in the doorway.

Kael.

His golden eyes immediately found the blood.

"Swanly."

He started forward.

But something white flashed past him.

A long, powerful tail swept around the side of the bed.

Soren had been near the adjoining wash area, and the moment he heard Kairo’s cry, he was already moving.

"Swanly!"

His white tail slid gently beneath her legs and around her waist.

Before she could protest, he lifted her from the mattress.

Swanly squeaked.

"Hey!"

Soren sat down and settled her against his chest, supporting her back with one arm while his tail formed a loose protective coil around them.

His long white hair fell over her shoulder.

One hand cupped her cheek.

The other moved carefully toward her chest.

"Where?"

Swanly blinked.

"What?"

"Where does it hurt?"

His silver eyes searched her face.

"Tell me."

Kael reached them a heartbeat later.

He knelt beside the bed.

His black ears were flat.

"Swanly, what happened?"

Both males were looking at her.

Not angrily.

Not coldly.

There wasn’t even a trace of the wounded silence they had carried since she disappeared underground.

Only fear.

Worry.

And so much tenderness that Swanly felt her cheeks growing warm.

Soren brushed his thumb across her lips.

A faint streak of blood remained there.

His expression tightened.

"You coughed blood?"

Swanly nodded slowly.

"A little."

Kael took her hand.

His fingers were warm.

"Since when?"

"Just now."

Soren lowered his head.

His forehead touched hers.

For a moment, he closed his eyes.

Then he whispered:

"Does it still hurt?"

Swanly’s heart gave a strange little jump.

Not from the pain this time.

From him.

His voice was so soft.

His tail was wrapped around her so carefully.

Even his scales had relaxed, as though he was afraid the slightest movement might hurt her.

Kael was no better.

He had already pulled the blanket away from the children and was checking whether Swanly had any fresh wounds.

Swanly looked from one male to the other.

Then smiled.

"Wait."

Neither answered.

She tilted her head.

"Are you two not mad at me anymore?"

Silence.

Kael froze.

Soren’s silver eyes lifted.

For one awkward second, both males looked as though they had just remembered something important.

Their anger.

Their disappointment.

Their entire plan to remain displeased with their reckless mate.

Swanly’s smile widened.

"Oh?"

Kael looked away.

Soren’s tail tightened slightly around her waist.

"Don’t start."

She giggled.

"You’re not angry anymore?"

"I am," Soren answered.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you cuddling me?"

His jaw tightened.

Kael sighed.

"Swanly."

She looked at him.

"Yes, handsome?"

He stared.

She smiled sweetly.

"You were supposed to be angry too."

"I am."

"Then why are you holding my hand?"

Kael looked down.

He was, indeed, holding her hand.