Chapter 254: Chapter 254: I couldn’t protect you
"WHO THE FUCK WAS THAT?!"
Swanly’s voice echoed through the trees.
No answer.
The arrow was still vibrating where it had buried itself in the trunk behind her.
She lowered her body, ears flattening against her white hair.
Her bow appeared instantly.
Three black-gold arrows formed between her fingers.
"Come out!"
Nothing.
Not a broken twig.
Not a breath.
Not even the rustle of clothing.
Swanly’s eyes narrowed.
Her snow fox instincts were screaming at her to move, but she couldn’t sense anything.
That was the strange part.
Even the weakest beastman usually gave himself away through scent or movement.
Whoever had fired that arrow had left nothing.
"System."
The fairy appeared beside her.
SCANNING SURROUNDING AREA.
A golden circle expanded through the nearby forest.
Swanly turned slowly, checking every tree.
Every shadow.
Every patch of darkness between the roots.
NO HOSTILE BIOLOGICAL SIGNATURE DETECTED.
She frowned.
"Scan farther."
SCANNING.
A moment passed.
NO TARGET DETECTED.
"What?"
Swanly looked back at the arrow.
It had come close enough to scrape her shoulder.
If she had moved one step differently, it might have gone through her neck.
She wasn’t about to dismiss that.
"Are you sure?"
NO ACTIVE TARGET WITHIN SCANNING RANGE, HOST.
Swanly slowly lowered her bow.
"That doesn’t make any sense."
She approached the tree.
The arrow was buried so deeply that only half its shaft remained visible.
She reached toward it.
Then stopped.
Something moved behind her.
Swanly spun, bow raised.
And froze.
"Soren?"
The white snake beastman stood several steps away.
His long white hair hung loose over his shoulders. Blood stained the scales along his neck, and one side of his clothing was torn.
His silver eyes were fixed on her.
Not blinking.
Not moving.
Just staring.
Swanly’s ears lifted.
"Soren?"
He said nothing.
She glanced at his injuries.
Then back at his face.
"Are you okay?"
Still nothing.
He started walking toward her.
Swanly lowered her bow completely.
"Hey, what happened? Did everyone get out? Are the children..."
Soren reached her.
And pulled her into his arms.
Hard.
Swanly gasped.
Her bow disappeared as his arms wrapped around her back.
His white tail curled around her legs, holding her against him.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Swanly blinked against his chest.
Then realization hit.
Oh.
Right.
She had left him.
Left Kael.
Left their five children.
After pushing Kael through a collapsing passage, she had disappeared underground without giving either male a chance to stop her.
She had promised to return.
But Soren hadn’t known whether that promise would mean anything.
Swanly’s expression softened.
"Hey."
She slowly wrapped her arms around him.
"I’m here."
His hold tightened.
"Soren, I’m fine."
Nothing.
"Look at me."
He refused.
She rubbed his back.
"Baby, I’m okay. Really. I stopped them."
His body trembled.
Swanly paused.
At first she thought he was angry.
Soren rarely showed fear.
When he was furious, he became quieter. His scales lifted, his pupils narrowed, and his tail went frighteningly still.
But this was different.
His fingers were trembling against her back.
Then something warm touched her shoulder.
Swanly blinked.
Another drop.
Warm.
Wet.
Her eyes widened.
Wait.
She slowly turned her face.
"Soren?"
His forehead was pressed against her shoulder.
Another tear fell.
Swanly stopped breathing.
The ruthless white snake who could crush a beastman’s bones without changing his expression was crying.
Actually crying.
"Soren..."
She tried pulling back.
He wouldn’t let her.
Her heart squeezed.
"Are you crying?"
His jaw tightened against her shoulder.
"No."
Another tear slipped down.
Swanly stared.
"Baby..."
"Don’t."
His voice came out rough.
She froze.
Soren inhaled.
His breath shook.
"Don’t do that to me again."
Swanly’s smile disappeared.
He pulled back just enough to look at her.
His silver eyes were wet.
Not a lot.
Not loud sobbing.
Just tears he seemed completely unable to stop.
And somehow, seeing him like that hurt more.
"When you pushed Kael away..."
He stopped.
Swallowed.
"I thought you were coming through after him."
Swanly’s ears slowly lowered.
"Then the stones fell."
His grip tightened.
"And you were gone."
"Soren..."
"I could still feel you."
His voice became quieter.
"Through the bond. I could feel you moving farther beneath us."
Swanly stared at him.
"I tried to find another passage. I tried to reach you through the roots. Every time I moved the rubble, someone underneath screamed."
His eyes closed.
"And then I felt your pain."
Swanly’s heart sank.
He had felt it.
The Hollowmaws.
The injuries.
The moment she had nearly died.
"All of it?" she whispered.
"Enough."
His voice broke on that single word.
Swanly lifted both hands to his face.
"Oh, Soren..."
Soren opened his eyes.
"Do you understand what it was like?"
She couldn’t answer.
"I was holding the ruins together while my daughters screamed for you."
A tear slipped down his cheek.
"And I couldn’t even reach my mate."
Swanly’s eyes burned.
He looked away, furious with himself.
"I couldn’t protect you."
"No."
She immediately caught his face.
"Don’t say that."
His jaw trembled.
"You were right there."
"You saved the people trapped under the stones."
"I wanted to leave them."
Swanly went still.
Soren looked directly at her.
"I wanted to let the whole thing collapse."
His voice was cold again.
Terribly honest.
"If breaking those stones would have brought you back to me, I wanted to do it."
Swanly swallowed.
"But you didn’t."
His eyes moved over her face.
"I could hear our children."
That was the only explanation he gave.
Swanly stepped closer and hugged him again.
This time she held him tightly.
"I’m sorry."
His arms closed around her.
"I’m so sorry."
She kissed his cheek.
Then his temple.
Then the corner of his eye.
"Hey, don’t cry."
Soren made a quiet, broken sound against her hair.
Swanly’s own tears finally fell.
"I know I scared you."
She rubbed his back.
"I was scared too. I thought if those things reached the Heart, everybody would die. I thought I was making the only choice."
"You might have been."
She froze.
Soren lifted his head.
"That doesn’t make me hate what you did any less."
Swanly nodded.
"I know."
"You could have told me."
"I was afraid you would stop me."
"I would have."