Chapter 206: Bad Pa
Korran exploded.
"You would risk every life inside those walls because you dislike our answers?"
"No."
Soren’s tail moved slowly behind him.
"I would risk every life inside these walls if I allowed armed strangers beneath my home without knowing what they intended."
Korran’s wings flared.
"You think you can stop what is coming?"
"No."
The answer was immediate.
That surprised everyone.
Soren continued:
"But I can control who enters my territory."
A lazy voice came from a boulder.
"He is right."
Every Veskari turned.
Azren sat on top of the rock.
Nobody had noticed him arrive.
Of course.
One knee was raised.
One long arm rested over it.
His six translucent wings were folded behind him, catching pale moonlight.
Korran looked ready to explode.
"You."
Azren smiled.
"Me."
Lyssara’s expression darkened.
"This is not the time."
"It is exactly the time."
Azren looked toward Soren.
"If I were him, I would not let you through either."
Veyra stared at him.
"Your Highness."
"What?"
"You know why we need the Heart."
Azren tilted his head.
"Yes."
"Then tell him to open the boundary."
"No."
Silence.
Veyra looked horrified.
Korran stepped toward the prince.
"You are undermining your own people."
Azren looked thoughtful.
"Publicly too."
"AZREN."
He laughed.
Swanly stared at him.
Idiot.
No.
Not idiot.
Never idiot.
Azren’s eyes shifted toward her.
Immediately.
There it was again.
That tiny change.
His expression stayed playful.
But his antennae angled toward her.
"Swanly."
She looked away.
Azren put one hand over his heart.
"Painful."
Nothing.
"Little fox."
Nothing.
"My favorite woman inside this particular territorial boundary."
Swanly slowly turned.
"Why is my name in this?"
Azren brightened.
"There she is."
Soren’s hand tightened at Swanly’s back.
Kael’s black ears flattened.
Veyra looked like she wanted to push Azren off the boulder.
Azren smiled.
"Swanly understands me."
Swanly stared.
"I absolutely do not."
"See? She understands perfectly."
"You are insane."
"Frequently."
But his eyes did something else.
They flicked toward the northern side of Ironwood.
Then toward Swanly.
Then down.
Once.
A signal?
Swanly’s smile vanished.
Azren saw that she noticed.
His own grin widened immediately.
Too wide.
Deliberately stupid again.
"Come outside sometime. I can explain everything over moonlight."
Kael growled.
Soren said:
"No."
Swanly did not even look at either of them.
Azren was trying to tell her something.
Alone.
She was almost certain.
But no.
Absolutely not.
She barely trusted him while surrounded by Kael, Soren, Raku, half of Ironwood, and his own people.
She was not going anywhere alone with a six-winged crown prince who treated death threats like flirting.
So she stayed quiet.
Azren’s smile slowly strained.
For the first time, she saw genuine frustration.
Only for a second.
Then it vanished.
"Cold woman."
Swanly ignored him again.
Azren sighed dramatically.
"One day you will appreciate me."
Soren’s voice went flat.
"No."
Azren looked at him.
"I was speaking to her."
"I know."
"Possessive."
"Yes."
That answer apparently pleased Azren.
He laughed.
Then Sira moved.
Swanly looked down.
Her younger daughter was staring at Azren.
More specifically, at his wings.
Her silver eyes had gone enormous.
Azren shifted one wing.
The glowing veins shimmered.
Sira gasped.
"Win’."
Swanly blinked.
"What?"
Sira pointed.
"Win’."
Eira twisted in Soren’s arms.
For once, the elder twin’s cold little face actually changed.
Her eyes widened.
She stared at all six translucent wings.
"Pre’tty."
Everyone went silent.
Swanly’s heart melted.
"You think they’re pretty?"
Eira kept staring.
"Pre’tty."
Sira bounced in Swanly’s arms.
"Win’! Win’!"
Azren’s face lit up.
Finally.
People with taste.
He slowly unfolded one wing.
Sira squealed.
Eira actually leaned out of Soren’s arms.
Soren looked down at her.
"No."
Eira reached.
"Win’."
"No."
Sira reached too.
"Pre’tty!"
Soren looked personally betrayed.
Swanly pressed her lips together.
Do not laugh.
Do not laugh.
Soren looked at his daughters.
Then at Azren.
Then back at his daughters.
In fact, in Soren’s heart, he was feeling a bit jealous.
Because this was ridiculous.
His sons would never.
Kairo would have glared.
Nilo would have quietly moved closer to Swanly.
Miko would have screamed not you, we do not need another father.
But his daughters?
His daughters were practically trying to launch themselves at another male because he had shiny wings.
Soren’s face became colder.
"Absolutely not."
Swanly finally lost.
A laugh escaped.
Soren looked at her.
"You are encouraging them."
"I didn’t do anything!"
"You smiled."
"I am allowed to smile."
"No."
Swanly’s mouth fell open.
"Excuse me?"
Sira wriggled.
"Win’!"
"No," Soren repeated.
Eira looked at him.
"Bad Pa."
Soren froze.
Kael made a choking sound.
Raku looked away.
Azren’s grin became enormous.
Sira copied immediately.
"Bad Pa."
Soren stared at both daughters.
"You bite me."
Eira looked away.
"You hit me."
Sira looked away too.
"You fake crying."
Neither looked at him.
"And now you want him?"
Azren put a hand over his chest.
"I feel chosen."
Soren’s silver eyes turned deadly.
"You should feel threatened."
Miko’s voice suddenly came from behind them.
"NO!"
Everyone turned.
The triplets had apparently escaped whoever had been watching them.
Of course.
Miko came running first.
Nilo was holding the back of his tunic.
Kairo marched behind them looking deeply unhappy about being outside.
Miko pointed at Azren.
"Not you!"
Azren blinked.
Miko planted himself in front of Swanly.
"We have enough papath!"
Nilo stopped beside him.
"We weren’t supposed to leave."
"Important emergency."
"This is not an emergency."
"He has wingth."
Nilo looked at Azren.
Then at Sira.
Then at Eira.
Both babies were still reaching.
Nilo’s face slowly became concerned.
Kairo arrived.
He took one look at the situation.
Then moved directly beside Soren.
"What happened?"
Soren looked down at him.
"My daughters betrayed me."
Kairo frowned.
That sounded serious.
Miko pointed.
"They like Wing Man."
Azren smiled.
"Wing Man?"
"Not Papa."
Azren’s smile became brighter.
Miko narrowed his eyes.
"Do not look happy."
Nilo quietly reached up and touched Sira’s little foot.
"Mama already has Kael Papa and Snake Papa."
Kael glanced at Soren.
"Do not group me with him."
Soren glanced back.
"I was here first tonight."
"That is not what first means."
Swanly closed her eyes.
Too many males.
Too many cubs.
Too little sleep.
Eira stretched both hands toward Azren.
"Win’."
Soren pulled her closer to his chest.
"No."
Sira copied.
"Win’!"
Swanly held her tighter.
"You are not climbing the foreign prince."
Azren raised one finger.
"I am willing to volunteer."
Four males said:
"No."
Azren looked delighted.
Veyra looked murderous.
Her icy-blue eyes had not left Swanly once.
Not when Azren sided with Soren.
Not when he called Swanly’s name.
Not when the twins reached for his wings.
Not when he smiled at Swanly as though the argument around him was nothing compared to whether she understood his secret warning.
Her claws curled.
Swanly noticed.
Again.
Wonderful.
Another problem.
Soren ended the argument.
Not by winning.
By simply turning away from the Veskari.
"We investigate first."
Lyssara stepped closer to the boundary.
"You are wasting time."
"Then tell me the truth."
She did not.
Soren looked toward Raku.
"Gather a small group."
Raku nodded.
"Who?"
"Kael. Thalara. Tovan."
Then Soren looked toward the settlement.
"And Druun."
Swanly frowned.
"You are going beneath Ironwood now?"
"Not blindly."
Soren looked at her.
"Druun knows the old ground better than any of us."
That was true.
The giant called Ironwood home long before any of them had built walls here.
Soren continued:
"We do not force a sealed door. We do not enter anything Druun refuses to enter. We inspect the shifted areas and come back."
Kael looked at Swanly.
"You stay."
...
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