Chapter 256: Chapter 256: I saved your little butts!
"Mama!"
"YOU LEFT!"
Swanly nearly fell backward.
Soren steadied her by the waist.
She dropped onto her knees and hugged all three boys.
"Oh, my babies."
Kairo was crying.
Again.
Swanly’s heart twisted when she saw the bandage around his injured forearm.
She kissed his forehead.
Then his cheeks.
Then his little black ears.
"Kairo."
He refused to look at her.
"You’re mean."
Swanly froze.
"What?"
He buried his face against her chest.
"Mean Mama."
Nilo nodded immediately.
"Very mean."
Swanly stared.
Even Nilo?
Miko’s lower lip trembled.
"You went into the ground!"
"I know."
"And you didn’t take us!"
Swanly blinked.
"Baby, that was the point."
Miko began crying harder.
"I DIDN’T LIKE IT!"
Swanly hugged him.
"I know, sweetheart."
"You said you were coming back!"
"I did come back."
"But you took too long!"
His voice cracked.
Swanly kissed his cheek.
"I’m sorry."
Nilo looked up at her.
His soft golden eyes were still swollen from crying.
"We couldn’t feel you."
Swanly went still.
"What?"
Nilo swallowed.
"We kept listening."
His little ears lowered.
"For your footsteps."
Swanly’s heart broke.
"But we couldn’t hear you anymore."
She pulled him into her arms.
"Oh, Nilo..."
"We thought..."
He stopped.
His mouth trembled.
Swanly kissed his forehead.
"You don’t have to say it."
He started crying again.
She held all three tightly.
Then a furious little hiss came from above.
Swanly looked up.
Eira.
The elder twin was fighting Kael’s arm with both little hands.
Her silver eyes were fixed on Swanly.
"Ma!"
Beside her, Sira had already started wriggling.
"MAMA!"
Kael lowered them onto the platform.
That was all the permission they needed.
Both girls crawled toward Swanly so fast their tiny tails nearly tangled.
Eira reached her first.
She climbed straight over Miko’s leg.
Miko squeaked.
"HEY!"
Eira ignored him completely.
She grabbed Swanly’s clothing.
Pulled.
Then buried her face against her mother’s chest.
Swanly scooped her up.
"My baby girl!"
Eira made a tiny broken sound.
Swanly stopped smiling.
"Oh, sweetheart..."
Eira’s little hands patted Swanly’s cheeks.
One.
Then the other.
She examined her mother’s face.
Her hair.
Her ears.
Then grabbed her clothes again.
"Mama."
"I’m here."
Eira’s expression hardened.
"No go."
Swanly blinked.
Eira shook her head.
"No."
Then, with all the seriousness a tiny snake girl could gather:
"Bad Mama."
Swanly stared.
"Oh, not you too!"
Sira arrived.
She climbed directly onto Swanly’s thigh and started wailing.
"MAMAAAA!"
Swanly grabbed her.
"My little sweetheart!"
Sira slapped both tiny hands against Swanly’s chest.
Not hard.
Just furious baby pats.
"Mean!"
Swanly’s mouth fell open.
"WHAT?"
Sira pointed at her.
"Mean Mama!"
Miko nodded.
"Exactly!"
Swanly looked around.
Five children.
Five accusations.
Unbelievable.
"I saved your little butts!"
Kairo sniffled.
"You scared us."
That silenced her.
Swanly’s expression softened.
Sira clung to her neck.
Eira’s tail wrapped around her wrist again.
Nilo leaned against her shoulder.
Miko sat directly in her lap even though there was absolutely no room.
Kairo held her hand with his uninjured one.
Swanly looked at all of them.
Her babies.
All five.
Safe.
Alive.
She started crying.
Quietly at first.
Then she couldn’t stop.
"Oh, my babies..."
Kairo looked up immediately.
"Mama?"
Swanly kissed his forehead.
Then Nilo’s.
Then Miko’s.
Then both girls.
"I’m sorry."
Her voice shook.
"I’m so sorry I scared you."
Miko touched her wet cheek.
"Mama crying?"
She nodded.
"A little."
Sira immediately stopped her own crying.
She stared.
Then pressed a sloppy kiss against Swanly’s cheek.
"Muah."
Swanly laughed through her tears.
"Oh, now you love me?"
Sira nodded.
"Love."
Eira leaned forward.
Pressed her forehead against Swanly’s.
Then whispered:
"Mine."
Swanly’s heart melted.
"Yes, baby."
She hugged the little snake girl closer.
"I’m yours."
Kael stood a few steps away.
Silent.
His golden eyes never left her.
Swanly finally looked up.
Their gazes met.
Her smile faltered.
"Kael..."
He said nothing.
His black ears remained flat.
His tail hung motionless behind him.
That frightened her more than if he had shouted.
Swanly swallowed.
"I’m sorry."
Kael looked at the children.
Then at her.
"You’re alive."
She nodded.
"Yes."
"Good."
His voice was flat.
Swanly’s ears lowered.
"Kael..."
He turned his face away.
Not because he didn’t want to look at her.
Because looking hurt.
Swanly carefully shifted Sira into Nilo’s arms and asked Kairo to hold Eira for a moment.
Then she stood.
Walked toward Kael.
He remained still.
She stopped in front of him.
"Hey."
Nothing.
Swanly touched his chest.
"Look at me."
His jaw tightened.
Then those golden eyes finally met hers.
They were red.
Not glowing.
Red around the edges.
He had been crying.
Swanly’s heart twisted.
"Kael..."
"You pushed me."
Three words.
Quiet.
Devastated.
She nodded.
"I know."
"You waited until I had the children."
"I know."
"Then you pushed me away."
Swanly swallowed.
Kael looked over her shoulder.
At Kairo holding Eira.
At Nilo with Sira.
At Miko staring anxiously toward them.
His voice dropped.
"They thought you were dead."
Swanly’s eyes filled again.
"I know."
Kael looked back at her.
"So did I."
Silence.
Swanly stepped closer.
Wrapped her arms around his waist.
He didn’t hug her back.
Not immediately.
She pressed her face against his chest.
"I’m sorry."
His breath trembled.
"I know why you did it."
Swanly closed her eyes.
"I couldn’t let those creatures reach the Heart."
"I know."
"But..."
"Knowing doesn’t make it hurt less."
Swanly lifted her face.
Kael finally lowered his head.
Pressed his forehead against hers.
His arms came around her.
Slowly.
Then tightly.
So tightly Swanly could feel his entire body trembling.
She hugged him harder.
"I came back."
Kael closed his eyes.
"You did."
Then his lips touched her forehead.
One kiss.
Long.
Silent.
When he pulled away, his golden eyes were still hurt.
Swanly understood.
One hug was not going to erase what she had done.
But he was holding her.
And for now, that was enough.
Nearby, Soren watched quietly.
His own pale tail curled around the edge of the platform.
Kairo looked between his fathers.
Then at Swanly.
"Are you both angry with Mama?"