Return of the General's Daughter

Alaric was unaware of the irritation, simmering within him, but he felt it—a prickling unease he couldn’t quite name. It settled beneath his skin like an itch he couldn’t scratch.

Asael reached out and ruffled Lara’s neatly tied bun, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Rest assured, I will keep this between us," he murmured, his voice low enough for only her to hear.

Lara smiled, warmth blossoming in her chest. She had fully embraced this new life—a family she never expected, elder brothers who teased her, and a father.

"Ahem." Agilus, trailing close behind Alaric, cleared his throat deliberately. "Are we interrupting something?" He cast Kane a pointed glance, his eyes glinting with mischief.

Lara’s expression darkened. "What’s with that look?" she asked, her tone laced with disdain. She knew exactly what he was insinuating—what a filthy mind.

Agilus ignored her and continued, "Ari said his stomach hurt and—"

Alaric’s sharp glare cut him off mid-sentence.

Agilus swallowed before finishing in silent surrender, ’—he wanted you to check on him.’

Lara’s demeanor shifted instantly into that of a doctor. "Go lie down," she instructed, already assessing him with a critical eye. "Didn’t I tell you your wound hasn’t fully healed? Why do you keep running around?"

"Hey, you—watch your tone! How dare you speak like that to his high—"

A sudden chill crept up Agilus’s spine, forcing him to reconsider his words. "To General Alaric," he corrected hastily.