Chapter 625 Extinct?
Miss Kelly was standing near the entrance of the largest tent, her arms crossed, her expression tired but calm. She looked up when Alina approached.
"Miss Kelly," Alina said. "Where is everyone? The warriors—"
"Gone," Miss Kelly said. "Lord Dante and the others. King Corvus. Alpha Ryker. Count Vladimir. King Boulder. They all went after the worm king’s remaining followers. Every nest. Every egg. Every trace."
She looked toward the dark sky.
"By tomorrow, or maybe the day after, the worms will be extinct."
Alina’s heart lifted.
"Extinct?"
Miss Kelly nodded. "Gone. Forever. No more attacks. No more children taken. No more families destroyed."
Alina felt tears prick at her eyes.
"That’s wonderful."
Miss Kelly smiled. "Yes. It is."
Alina looked around again. "Where is Boo? Is he okay?"
Miss Kelly’s smile widened. "He’s fine. He woke up a little while ago. He’s with his friends."
"His friends?"
"Class D. They’re all together. Over by the big tree."
Alina nodded and walked toward the tree.
The big oak stood at the edge of the playground, its branches spreading wide, its leaves rustling softly in the evening breeze. Lanterns had been hung from its lower branches, casting warm pools of light on the grass below.
And there, gathered in a loose circle, were her students.
Alina’s heart swelled at the sight of them.
They were dirty, tired, bandaged. Some had scrapes on their arms. Some had bandages on their legs. Some were still trembling, still processing everything that had happened.
She walked closer, her footsteps soft on the grass.
Luna was sitting on a bench near the tree, her bandaged leg propped up on a small stool. Her mother, Queen Serafina, sat beside her, one arm wrapped around her daughter’s shoulders, her elegant face pale but composed.
"You were very brave," Serafina was saying. "Very, very brave."
Luna’s ears flattened. "I wasn’t brave. I was scared."
"Being scared and being brave are the same thing," her mother said softly. "Bravery is not the absence of fear. It is acting despite it."
Luna looked up at her. "Really?"
"Really."
She leaned into her mother’s side, her tail curling around her legs. Her father, Alpha Ryker, was not there. He was hunting down remaining worms with the others.
Nearby, Kelpie was sitting on a blanket with his mother, Lady Maris. The aquatic woman had her arms wrapped around her son, her tears falling into his hair.
"I was so worried," Lady Maris whispered. "So, so worried."
Kelpie patted her arm. "I’m okay, Mom. I’m okay."
"I heard you threw water at the monsters," Lady Maris said, pulling back to look at his face. "I am so proud of you."
Kelpie beamed. "Dad would be proud too."
Lady Maris’s eyes softened. "Yes. He would be. He’s out there right now, making sure no more worms ever hurt anyone again."
Kelpie nodded seriously. "Dad is brave."
"Your father is very brave."
Rocky was sitting with his mother, Queen Granite, her stone face unusually soft. She was holding her son’s small hands in hers, examining them for injuries.
"Are you hurt?" she asked.
"A little," Rocky admitted. "But Felix carried me. He was a dragon."
Queen Granite looked at Felix, who was standing a few feet away, his arms crossed, his face carefully neutral.
"Thank you," she said.
Felix nodded stiffly. "It was necessary."
Queen Granite’s lips curved into a small smile. "You did well."
Felix’s ears turned pink.
Vlad Jr. was standing near the trunk of the tree, his posture still perfect despite everything, his clothes still neat despite the chaos. His mother, Lady Isadora, had her arms wrapped around him from behind, her chin resting on top of his head.
"You went to the Snake Domain," she said, her voice soft, almost trembling. "You went to ask for help."
Vlad Jr. nodded. "Luna came with me."
"You could have died."
"But I didn’t."
Lady Isadora held him tighter. "My brave boy."
Vlad Jr.’s ears turned pink, but he didn’t pull away. His father, Count Vladimir, was not there. He was hunting with the others.
Sable and Lucien were sitting on a blanket near the edge of the circle, their shoulders touching, their hands loosely intertwined. They were quiet and calm, watching the others with tired eyes.
And then Boo.
Alina’s heart melted at the sight of him.
The little ghost was floating in the arms of a familiar woman. Felix’s mother.
Aine.
She was holding Boo in her arms, her nine golden tails wrapped around him like a blanket, her chin resting on top of his head. Boo was grinning proudly, his silver eyes bright, his cap tilted, his ribbon floating behind him.
"Mom," Felix muttered, his voice low, almost jealous.
Aine looked up, her smile widening.
"Shh," she said. "Boo was scared. You said you weren’t scared. So Mom is comforting your best friend."
Felix’s ears turned red. "He’s not my best friend."
"Then why were you worried about him?"
"I wasn’t—"
"You asked me five times if he was okay."
Felix’s mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
"That’s different."
Aine laughed, her tails swishing happily.
Boo grinned even wider. "Felix was worried about me!"
"I was not!"
"You were!"
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
Felix crossed his arms and looked away, but his ears were still red.
Aine caught Alina’s eye and winked.
Alina smiled.
She walked closer, her heart warm.
"How is everyone?" she asked.
The children looked up at her.
"Teacher!"
"Teacher, you’re okay!"
"Teacher, your arm!"
Alina held up her bandaged arm. "It’s fine. Just a scratch."
Luna snorted. "That’s not a scratch. That’s a wound."
"Same thing."
"It’s not."
"It is in teacher language."
Luna’s tail twitched, but she didn’t argue.
"Where is Drake?" she asked, and Luna told her Drake already went home with his mom.
And then Alina went near her babies.
Lucien and Sable were sitting on their blanket, quiet and calm as always, their shoulders touching, their hands loosely intertwined. They hadn’t moved from their spot near the edge of the circle. They hadn’t cried or complained or demanded attention. They had simply sat there, watching, waiting, being patient.
Alina’s heart ached.
She knelt down in front of them, her bandaged arm brushing against the grass, her eyes soft with exhaustion and love.
"Are you both okay?" she asked, her voice gentle. "I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you more today."
Sable shook his head immediately. "It’s okay, Mom. You were busy."
Lucien nodded calmly. "You were protecting everyone. We understand."
Alina smiled and pulled them both into a hug. Sable wrapped his small arms around her neck, and Lucien leaned into her side, his usual composed expression softening.
"I love you both," she murmured.
"Love you too, Mom," Sable said.
"Love you too," Lucien echoed.
Around them, the other mothers had gone very, very still.